Advocate K.B. Pradeep had to resign as special pleader for the Devaswom department soon after appointment as he formerly represented a company figuring in the probe
The Sabarimala shrine gold loot that the Congress used to corner the previous Left Front government is now haunting its own dispensation in Kerala. To the V.D Satheesan government’s embarrassment, advocate K.B. Pradeep, its pick for the post of special pleader for the Devaswom department, has stepped down within days of appointment.
The reason: Pradeep, it turned out, had represented Smart Creations, a company figuring in the gold theft investigation. He resigned following chief minister Satheesan’s directive forced by the mounting attack of the Opposition CPI(M) and BJP.
The chief minister, who handles the law department, had come under questioning by the Opposition as well as leaders of his own party for appointing a lawyer who had defended an entity suspected in the temple gold loot case.
Pradeep’s appointment prompted CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan Master to ask if the special pleader had vetted the gold loot files during his brief period on the job. “K.B. Pradeep’s resignation won’t save the government. He was appointed by the chief minister to abort the gold loot probe. It was an attempt to save the accused,” Govindan Master charged, while speaking to INDIA TODAY.
The special investigation team (SIT), which is probing the gold loot, had raised concerns over the appointment, with director general of police Ravada A. Chandrasekhar apparently meeting Satheesan to brief him about the ‘consequences’.
Devaswoms minister K. Muraleedharan had initially defended the appointment with the unusual rationale that having a lawyer “who knows the weaknesses of the accused” would be advantageous to the prosecution. He subsequently distanced himself from the appointment.
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan alleged the appointment was an attempt to sabotage the gold loot investigation. “Everybody now understands why the chief minister needed the counsel of the accused as special pleader in the Sabarimala gold loot case. It’s clear the government wanted to save the accused,” Vijayan claimed.
Around 4.5 kg of 24-carat gold, out of the 30.3 kg donated to the Sabarimala temple by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998, were found missing in 2019. The accusation is that the gold plates were fraudulently transferred out to Chennai in the name of renovation. Several people, including a Sabarimala temple priest and former officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the shrine, have been named accused. Multiple arrests have been made.
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Published By:
Shyam Balasubramanian
Published On:
Jun 16, 2026 17:04 IST
Read the full article at India Today →📄Source document: Special Investigation Team (SIT)
3 reports
India TodayIndependentLeft5 days agoAn advocate appointed as special pleader for the Devaswom department in Kerala resigned shortly after taking up the role due to his prior representation of a company involved in a gold theft investigation at the Sabarimala temple. The controversy has embarrassed the current V.D. Satheesan government, with opposition parties accusing the government of attempting to obstruct the investigation.
Bias read (Left): The article frames the situation as an embarrassment for the current government and quotes opposition figures suggesting the government attempted to block the investigation. The narrative emphasizes the potential misconduct of the ruling party and highlights criticism from the CPI(M), which is a key
Official sources cited
- government Special Investigation Team (SIT)
The HinduIndependentRight6 days agoTwo BJP workers were seriously injured following an alleged attack by a group believed to be affiliated with CPI(M) in Kappil, Wandoor, on June 14. The victims claimed they were assaulted with sharp weapons by CPI(M) members led by local panchayat member Salam. Both individuals are receiving treatment at a private hospital and are reported to be in stable condition. The BJP has accused CPI(M) of using violence to protect its influence in rural areas and has called for the immediate arrest of those involved. Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation. A protest march was held,
Bias read (Right): The article frames the incident as an attack by CPI(M), a leftist party, on BJP workers, emphasizing the BJP's accusations and demands for legal action. It includes quotes from BJP officials who claim CPI(M) is using violence to maintain dominance in villages. The narrative highlights the BJP's side
Official sources cited
- organisation Hospital sources
- government Police
NDTVIndependentCenter6 days agoTwo BJP workers were injured in an attack in Kerala's Malappuram. The BJP has blamed the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) for the incident.
Bias read (Center): The article reports a factual event without explicit ideological language or biased framing. It mentions the BJP's accusation against the CPM but does not take a stance or provide additional context that would indicate a particular ideological leaning.
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