Kerala: Justice Rajan makes a U-turn

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KOCHI: The opening of the cellars at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple seems to have opened up a fresh controversy. Taking a..

KOCHI: The opening of the cellars at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple seems to have opened up a fresh controversy.
Taking a Uturn from his earlier stance, Justice C S Rajan the observer appointed by the Supreme Court for the inventory of the treasure trove on Tuesday evening claimed that he did not disclose any details regarding the valuables found in the cellars of the temple.Justice Rajan told reporters here on Tuesday that the treasure might belong to the temple as it had been presented to the deity by the rulers of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom. So, it did not come under the Treasure Trove Act. He said that he was wonderstruck at the sight of precious stones, gold and silver in the cellars. On opening the B cellar, which is believed to be the richest of all, Rajan said a decision could be taken only after seeking the opinion of the chief priest of the temple and others. Unlike the other cellars, opening the B cellar might be a difficult task as it was situated inside the Nalambalam, he said and added that there was not any trench connecting the cellars and the sea, as was widely believed.

He said the details of each valuable had been recorded in a scientific method. But the exact value of the treasure might vary from the figures that appeared in the media, he said. "The Supreme Court has not asked us to assess the value of the treasure," he said. In the evening, however, he took a Uturn following criticisms from some corners on his public statements.