Kochi, Feb 10 (PTI) Congress leader and former TDB member Ajay Tharayil on Tuesday said there was no discrepancy in the accounting of gold received from devotees in connection with the installation of a new flag mast at the Sabarimala shrine in 2017.

He said the work of the new flag mast were carried out in accordance with the directions of the High Court and all the accounts in this regard had been submitted before the court.

Tharayil came with a clarification a day after the Kerala High Court ordered the vigilance department to probe into the alleged misappropriation of gold and money in connection with the installation of a new temple flag mast at the Sabarimala shrine in 2017.

The direction was issued by a Division Bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar while reviewing the progress of the investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the alleged loss of gold from the Sabarimala Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates and the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).

Addressing reporters here, Tharayil said 412 grams of gold were received as an excess donation from various devotees, including the present Union Minister Suresh Gopi besides the 9.161 kilograms of gold purchased from the Customs Department on March 22, 2017.

The entire work of the new flag mast was carried out in Pamba under the aegis of the Advocate Commissioner, the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, the Devaswom Vigilance Officer and so on.

The entire account of gold used in this regard had been submitted before the TDB secretary by the Thiruvabharam Commissioner, he said.

"Everything has been registered in the mahasar. Let them tell where excess gold had been received in this regard. These figures were exact and had been passed by the TDB. It was submitted at the High Court also," he said.

Such perfect accounts had never been presented in the history of the TDB, he further claimed.

Tharayil sought to know which devotee had donated gold beyond the recorded 412 grams.

"Someone said that a receipt had not been issued to those who donated the gold. Giving a receipt was not the duty of the TDB president or members. Why didn't the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner or Vigilance Officer issue the receipt," he asked.

He also criticised the SIT and accused it of deliberately trying to create misunderstanding in the High Court.

However, he welcomed the High Court order asking the Vigilance to conduct a quick verification probe into the allegations.

He said it was a good decision that would provide an opportunity for him to prove his innocence.

Tharayil alleged that a CPI (M) leader had warned him earlier that he would be questioned in the case. Stating that he was not afraid of arrest, he said he would resist what he described as a political move.

The leader accused the LDF government of attempting to portray that the opposition UDF leaders also had a role in the Sabarimala gold loss case.

While directing the VACB to carry out the probe, the High Court on Tuesday, observed that it would not be appropriate to entrust the probe relating to the alleged misappropriation of gold connected with the flag mast to the SIT, which is already investigating other serious offences pursuant to earlier directions.

The court directed that all records relating to the construction and installation of the temple flag mast be forwarded to the VACB Director.

"The Director shall constitute a team of competent and upright officers to conduct a preliminary enquiry, including recording statements of donors and examining financial and material records, and shall file a report before this Court within a period of 30 days from Tuesday," the court ordered. PTI LGK KH