Alappuzha: The Special Temple Anti-Theft Squad (STATS) of the police has not started a probe into the disappearance of the holy pendant from Sreekrishna Swamy temple even after two months since the High Court order.
The HC on September 15, on a petition by D. Subhash, a member of the devotee group Karma Samithi, had asked the STATS to finish the investigation at the earliest.
Ambalappuzha circle inspector Biju V. Nair who is currently investigating the case said that they had not handed over its files to STATS as no order came from his department so far.
"The antique gold ornament belonging to the temple was stolen on a day before April 17, and it was reported two days after. And the same ornament was recovered from donation box on May 23 in a broken state. However, despite having CCTV cameras and 24x7 security guards on the temple premises, the police was unable to identify culprits," the order says.
The local police handed over the investigation to Crime Branch on April 20 without any complaints either from public or devotees.
The CB made no progress even after six months, forcing the devotees to move the court and the CB returned the case to local police. But the culprits are still at large.
The Devaswom Vigilance had recommended suspension of the then administration officer J. Murukesan, assistant commissioner S. Reghunathan Nair, Baburaj Namboodiri, the head priest, L. Sandeep, assistant priest and Rajasekharan Pillai, Kazhakam, (lower grade employee).
Mr Pillai died of a stroke during the investigation. The pendant appeared in the donation box while he was being treated in Ernakulam.
Meanwhile, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) suspended the employees except for Reghunathan Nair, whom the TDB promoted as deputy commissioner, Haripad, since, keeping mum on the reason for him being let off.
It also issued an order on April 20 banning members from the family of the head priest, Kannamangalam, entering its sanctum sanctorum.
Karma Samiti secretary Sankaran Nair wondered why investigators are hesitant to question two senior members of the Kannamangalam family, Brahmadathan Namboodiri and Kesavan Namboodiri, who used the ornaments inside the sanctum sanctorum on the day.
"We doubt some powerful men are protecting them. Hence the case makes no progress. Apart from priestly duties, Kesavan Namboodiri has many real estate business interests," he alleges.
