Mumbai, June 13: K.B. Pradeep, the Special Government Advocate for the Devaswom Board, resigned on Saturday. His appointment had caused significant embarrassment for the UDF government led by V.D. Satheesan. The government faced criticism for assigning a lawyer linked to a company involved in the Sabarimala gold theft case to handle crucial legal matters for the Devaswom Board.
Pradeep’s appointment as the Special Government Advocate for the Devaswom Department sparked political controversy in the Kerala High Court. Opposition parties questioned the appropriateness of appointing a lawyer who represented ‘Smart Creations,’ a Chennai-based company under investigation in the gold theft case.
The controversy intensified when the government created the position of ‘Special Government Advocate,’ which did not exist previously. Critics alleged that this role was specifically established for Pradeep. Until now, the Devaswom Department had only one Senior Government Advocate.
Smart Creations came under scrutiny for its involvement in the theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple’s gilded structures. The company was linked to the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, who allegedly transported panels removed from the temple to the company’s factory, where the gold was extracted and reportedly used for other purposes.
Previously, Pradeep defended Smart Creations in the media, asserting that no wrongdoing occurred and that the company lacked the technical capability to gild surfaces with gold.
The controversy escalated further when Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan defended the appointment, stating that someone familiar with the accused’s weaknesses could be beneficial. This statement drew sharp criticism from the opposition, who argued that it seemed to justify the appointment of a defense lawyer to represent the government.
Former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the new government’s operational methods, stating that Pradeep’s appointment makes everything “clear.” This marks the second controversy related to appointments under the new UDF government.
Earlier, following criticism over his appointment, the personal staff of Power Minister Sani Joseph’s brother-in-law resigned.
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