CPI(M) Criticism Forces Exit of Devaswom Advocate in Sabarimala Gold Case Row

Devaswom advocate K.B. Pradeep resigned on Saturday after Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan reportedly sought his resignation amid a growing controversy over his appointment to represent the Devaswom Department.

The resignation came following strong criticism from the opposition CPI(M) , which accused the Congress-led UDF government of attempting to undermine the ongoing investigation into the alleged Sabarimala gold loss case by appointing a lawyer who had previously represented some of the accused.

Senior CPI(M) leaders and former ministers K.N. Balagopal, P. Rajeeve and V.N. Vasavan alleged that Pradeep had appeared for accused Govardhan and Pankaj Bhandari, and had also represented Smart Creations , the Chennai-based firm entrusted with gold-plating work at the Sabarimala shrine.

The allegations relate to the alleged misappropriation of gold from the copper plates of the Dwarapalaka idols and the doors of the Sreekovil at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala . The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case is yet to file its chargesheet.

Vasavan described the appointment as "mysterious" and claimed it was intended to sabotage the investigation . Balagopal questioned how a lawyer who had previously defended the accused could later represent the Devaswom side in the same matter, while Rajeeve alleged the move could help the real culprits evade prosecution.

The CPI(M) leaders also sought to link the controversy to the Congress, raising questions about alleged interactions between prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty and senior Congress leaders.

Defending the appointment, Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan said it had been made in accordance with a Cabinet decision and argued that Pradeep's familiarity with the accused could have aided the prosecution. However, with political pressure mounting , Pradeep ultimately stepped down from the post.