Kerala Minister V Sivankutty demanded Sonia Gandhi be investigated in the Sabarimala theft case after a photo showed her with prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti. Sivankutty called her statement 'decisive' and questioned the accused's access to her.

Following the emergence of a photograph of Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi with prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, in the Sabarimala theft case, Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty said Sonia Gandhi should be brought within the ambit of the investigation as her statement is decisive. "How did Unnikrishnan Potti gain access to Sonia Gandhi's residence? The relationship between Sonia Gandhi, Adoor Prakash, and Unnikrishnan Potti is shocking. It is crucial that the investigation reaches Sonia Gandhi. The conspiracy must be exposed. Regardless of position, Sonia Gandhi should be brought within the ambit of the investigation. Sonia Gandhi's statement is decisive," V Sivankutty said.V Sivankutty said that Unnikrishnan Potti was tying a sacred thread on Sonia Gandhi's wrist, questioning how the prime accused had good relations with the former Congress President. "The Chief Minister (Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan) was attending a function to receive a key at an event where Unnikrishnan Potti was present. Is it comparable to Unnikrishnan Potti tying a sacred thread on Sonia Gandhi's wrist? He did not go alone--he went twice," he said.

Congress MP Clarifies Association with Accused

UDF convener and Congress MP Adoor Prakash, who was also in the image, on Saturday issued a clarification regarding his association with Unnikrishnan Potti and a visit to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's residence. Adoor Prakash said the Chief Minister stated that he had accompanied Unnikrishnan Potti to Sonia Gandhi's residence. Clarifying the circumstances, the MP said Unnikrishnan Potti hails from his parliamentary constituency.Prakash said, ''Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan yesterday revealed that I had gone with Unnikrishnan Potti to Sonia Gandhi's residence. Unnikrishnan Potti is from my parliament constituency... In 2019, I became a Member of Parliament. At that time, he approached me and said he was conducting an Annadanam in Sabarimala and that I had to come and inaugurate that function. I had gone there. After the Anadhanam, I'm not sure what happened. I came back from Sabarimala... When I was in Delhi, he (Unnikrishnan Pogotti) came there and informed me that he had an appointment with Sonia ji. He asked me to come with him as an MP... "He maintained that there was nothing unusual or improper in the visit. Prakash reiterated that his role was limited to accompanying a person from his constituency in his official capacity as an MP. The clarification came amid political exchanges following the Chief Minister's remarks, which had triggered reactions from opposition leaders in the state.

The Sabarimala Gold Controversy

The Sabarimala gold controversy centres on allegations of irregularities in the gold plating at the Sabarimala temple. This situation arose from a 1998 donation of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya, intended for the cladding of the sanctum sanctorum and the wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, was reportedly taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 17. The SIT, which is investigating the matter, submitted its second report to the Kerala High Court, revealing serious irregularities in the minutes of the Travancore Devaswom Board. (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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