Political theatre unfolds after Surendran’s questioning by SIT in the Sabarimala gold theft case

Some political theatre unfolded on Tuesday after news broke that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft had questioned former Devaswom Board Minister and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State committee member, Kadakampally Surendran.

Television camera crews mobbed Mr. Surendran in Thiruvananthapuram, prompting him to request calm. “I answered SIT’s questions,” he said.

Mr. Surendran dodged pointed questions about whether he had blamed former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A. Padmakumar, another CPI(M) leader, who is currently on judicial remand on charges of causing an undue pecuniary advantage to the main suspect, Unnikrishnan Potti, and, reciprocally, causing a loss to the public exchequer. Mr. Surendran also refused to answer whether he had any prior acquaintance with Mr. Potti.

Hours later, journalists mobbed Mr. Padmakumar when the SIT produced him at the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Vigilance, overseeing the case.

Earlier, Mr. Padmakumar had stirred controversy by dropping hints about the alleged role of some “saintly higher-up” in the crime. When asked whether he meant Mr. Surendran, Mr. Padmakumar remarked somewhat cryptically, “Neither eaters of dead flesh nor hunting dogs. Ayyappa knows the truth.”

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had turned its guns on Mr. Surendran and, by extension, the CPI(M), for the crime, making the scandal the central platform of its local body campaign.

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan accused Mr. Surendran of repeatedly hosting Mr. Potti, thereby allegedly giving the prime suspect in the case a prominent role in Sabarimala under the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. UDF social media accounts also shared photos of Mr. Potti alongside Mr. Surendran, mostly at charity events. Mr. Surendran subsequently sued Mr. Satheesan for liaison.

Mr. Satheesan accused the government of delaying the SIT’s questioning of Mr. Surendran for months, fearing a setback in the local body elections.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the names of more “big sharks” would emerge in the public domain.

Law Minister P. Rajeeve said the SIT would cover all aspects of the case and that the recording of statements did not necessarily imply culpability for the crime.

On Monday, CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan underscored that the party would take action against its political appointees on board the TDB based on the final report. He said the CPI(M) would protect no one, and media witch hunts and opposition attacks would not force its hand.