THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amidst the ongoing gold-missing row in Sabarimala, priest-turned-businessman Unnikrishnan Potti refused the allegations against him. “As per the letter given to me, I was provided with brass plates. This is marked in the mahassar also. I can speak only based on what was given to me,” he said in Thiruvananthapuram. Unnikrishnan said he is unaware whether it was gold-plated earlier or whether the platings given to him had gold in them.

In a new turn of events, the former priest said he had never claimed that the golden peedom was missing. He also said he would be present for vigilance questioning if summoned. He made these comments while talking to the media on Saturday.

Speaking about the allegations involving actor Jayaram, Unnikrishnan said the plates were not taken to the actor’s residence intentionally. “We fitted the platings into wooden planks at his house. We didn’t think of any legal issue then. It was not mentioned in the provisions either,” he remarked. He added that he had not made the items for exhibition display, as mentioned in the media.

He also added that there was not much delay when the dwarapalaka idols were taken for mending works. “Not 39 days, but only a delay of one week was there,” he claimed.