Gold-clad plates were removed from outside the sanctum sanctorum for scientific examination as part of the probe into the alleged gold theft at the Sabarimala temple, in Pathanamthitta district, on Nov. 17, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The recently appointed Devaswom Special government pleader K.B. Pradeep put in his papers on Saturday (June 13, 2026) morning after a political controversy erupted over his appointment.
“I volunteered to quit as I didn’t want to embarrass the government in a non-issue,” Mr. Pradeep told The Hindu.
Opposition parties had criticised the State government on the appointment of Mr. Pradeep, whom they alleged to have represented the Chennai-based Smart Creations, a firm under the cloud of suspicion in the Sabarimala gold theft case.
There were allegations that the gold was removed from the dwarapalaka idols, door frames of the temple and other structures when they were taken for gold plating undertaken by the firm. Pankaj Bhandari, the Chief Executive Officer of the firm was also arrested in the case.
The appointment of Mr. Pradeep, according to Opposition political parties, was an attempt to cover up the case and protect the real culprits.
Responding to the developments, Mr. Pradeep said he appeared for Smart Creations in the suo motu case initiated by the High Court, which was already closed.
“The Special Government Pleader has no role in the conduct of the cases that are continuing before the Division Bench of the Kerala High Court. The Division Bench is holding the proceedings in-camera, and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will present its final reports before the Sessions Court, Kollam, where the case will be argued by the prosecutors of the State government. I won’t have any role in the case, which will be tried in the Sessions Court. I won’t even get a chance to access any reports or findings of the SIT,” he said.
Mr. Pradeep said the apprehension that he would have access to the SIT reports was baseless.
“I had earlier clarified to the Advocate General that I will not appear in the gold theft case in the Division Bench to avoid any controversy and issues of conflict of interest,” he said.
Meanwhile, State Devaswom Minister K. Muralidharan said the appointment was made with good intentions considering his standing as a criminal lawyer and expertise in the subject. However, the government had second thoughts after apprehensions were raised from some quarters over the appointment. Several people expressed their concerns over the appointment of the lawyer. Hence, the government decided to seek his resignation, Mr. Muralidharan told media persons.
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Published – June 13, 2026 11:28 am IST
