Gold Loss Mystery at Sabarimala: Former TDB Secretary Faces ED Interrogation

Former TDB secretary S Jayasree faced interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate regarding a money laundering case linked to the Sabarimala gold loss. Jayasree has been accused of involvement in the alleged loss of gold from temple artefacts. She denied wrongdoing, stating her actions were based on board directives.

In a significant development in the Sabarimala gold loss scandal, former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) secretary S Jayasree appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday for interrogation. The case has drawn attention as it involves alleged money laundering connected to missing gold from the temple's artefacts.

Jayasree is the fourth accused in the case involving the mysterious disappearance of gold from Dwarapala plates. The Supreme Court had granted her interim protection, but the ED added her to the list of accused in the money laundering case. Her appearance at the ED office followed a summons issued by the central authority.

While other TDB officials like S Sreekumar and Murari Babu have also been questioned by the ED, Jayasree maintains her innocence. She claims her actions during her tenure were guided by board instructions, challenging the accusations linked to the 2019 replating of temple artefacts. She is not accused in a related case concerning the loss of gold from the Sreekovil doorframes, also under investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)