Judge takes charge as head of panel

The temple, where wealth believed to be worth Rs 1 lakh crore is stashed in its vaults, had been ruled by the erstwhile royal family since th 18th century.

The Supreme Court, in its interim order, had asked a five-member administrative body, headed by the district judge, to take charge.

Since the present district judge is a non-Hindu, the onus fell on the principal additional session’s judge. The other two members in the governing council are temple priests, while the government can nominate two others. The court had asked the royal family to hand over the keys of the vaults at the temple.

Meanwhile, the appointment of IAS officer K N Satheesh as the chief executive officer of the temple, as directed by the Supreme Court, has raked up a controversy.

Sources said a group of people in Thiruvananthapuram, who were victims of a land fraud involving former gunman of chief minister Oommen Chandy, said Satheesh had abetted the land grabbing.

They are planning to complain to the Supreme Court pointing out the land grabbing incident that took place when Satheesh was the collector of Thiruvananthapuram.