769 gold pots missing from Kerala temple vaults, SC told

Former CAG Vinod Rai in his report says the issue needs a detailed probe

A report submitted by the former Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, Vinod Rai, in the Supreme Court shows that 769 gold pots, valued approximately at Rs. 186 crore, are missing from the vast treasures found in the vaults of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Kerala.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur is scheduled to shortly hear Mr. Rai, who said the disappearance of the gold pots weighing 776 kg needed a “detailed probe.”

Serial number

In his report, Mr. Rai said each gold pot was assigned a separate serial number. Gold pots bearing numbers from one to 1,000 were used till July 2002.

Thereafter, pots bearing numbers from 1,000 were used. One of the pots, Mr. Rai found, taken out on April 1, 2011 showed the serial number ‘1988’. “This means that there were at least 1988 gold pots available in various kallaras,” the report said.

It said that if 822 gold pots were melted to meet the requirements of gold for ornamental works, there should have been at least 1,166 gold pots left.But the report said gold pots featuring serial numbers till only 397 could be found.

“This would indicate that the total number of gold pots excluding the gold pots if any in B kallaras were only 397 ... There is a shortage of 769 gold pots with an aggregate of 776 kg [approximately valued at Rs. 186 crore] would require a detailed probe,” Mr. Rai said.

The report said 30 per cent of the gold sent for melting and purification was lost.

The report further stated that photographs were taken of 1,022 precious articles, including the 397 gold pots, lying in C and E kallaras in August 2007, on the suggestion of the then Trustee for an album of the treasure.

But there was no sign of album or the photographs or the negatives.

The report said the administrative committee of the temple was “weak” and suggested a revamp.

Mr. Rai suggested appointment of a new committee led by a retired All India Service Officer with a rank of Secretary to Government. The panel should have one representative each from the Travancore royal family and from the Revenue Department of Kerala.