BJP claims 'major conspiracy' behind Sabarimala gold theft, seeks probe by central agency

Thrissur, Dec 2
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday said that a "major and carefully orchestrated conspiracy" lies behind the Sabarimala gold theft and insisted that only a central agency investigation can "uncover" the political links he claims are embedded in the case.

Speaking to the media here, he said the public is "unconvinced" by the government's assertion that the crime was limited to just two individuals, Unnikrishnan Potti and N. Vasu.

"No one believes that only these two were responsible. There are political leaders behind the Sabarimala gold theft, and the Pinarayi Vijayan government will go to any extent to shield them. Only a central agency can bring out the real culprits," Chandrasekhar said, adding that attempts to downplay the case have eroded public trust in the state administration.

The BJP leader's statement comes at a time when he has sought a CBI probe in his petition filed before the Kerala High Court, which is expected to be heard in the coming days.

He was in the cultural capital of the state as part of his election campaign to the upcoming local body polls scheduled for December 9 and 11.

He further alleged that the case filed against suspended Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was part of a broader strategy to divert public attention from significant development-related issues.

"The case against Rahul should have been registered three months ago. Why was it suddenly taken up now? This timing clearly serves a political purpose," he said.

Turning to the ongoing controversy surrounding the KIIFB Masala Bond, Chandrasekhar said the state government has "failed" to answer fundamental questions.

"Why did they travel to London to raise funds? Why didn't they borrow through an Indian bank? Why was RBI approval not obtained? The government has not provided a single clear explanation," he said.

He dismissed the ruling party's claim that the Enforcement Directorate's notice on the Masala Bond issue was a politically motivated move timed for the upcoming elections.

"Saying the ED notice is a poll strategy is just another distraction tactic. The central government cannot intervene to accelerate or slow down the actions of investigative agencies. When a financial fraud is exposed, calling it political is itself a political strategy," he said.

Chandrasekhar asserted that both the Sabarimala gold theft and the KIIFB bond controversy point to deeper issues of accountability and transparency that the state government can no longer evade.