Gold theft happened with CMs knowledge

PATHANAMTHITTA: BJP leader K Surendran has alleged that the Sabarimala gold theft took place with the knowledge of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and termed the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe a sham. He also demanded that a central agency take over the investigation. He was speaking to reporters in Ranni, where he attended a protest meeting organised by the BJP against the alleged theft. He alleged that the SIT was formed only after a secret discussion between the chief minister and former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran. A day before the SIT was announced, the chief minister held an urgent meeting with Kadakampally. It was a meeting held to prevent the truth behind the gold theft from coming out, he said. The investigation follows instructions issued during that meeting. The SIT is trying to shield ministers and former Travancore Devaswom Board presidents by naming only Unnikrishnan Potti and a few officials as accused, he alleged. Surendran challenged the chief minister to write to the Union government seeking a central agency probe if he has nothing to hide. When asked about the recent statement by RSP MP N K Premachandran that activists who attempted to enter Sabarimala in 2018 had eaten porotta and beef before their trek, Surendran said he was unaware of any such thing.