It was a minor altercation between advocate T.P. Sunderrajan and the current head of the Travancore Royal family, Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma, that reportedly led to the case which brought to light the treasure hidden within the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple.
A palace official told DC that Sunderrajan had aired his concerns about the upkeep of the temple’s wealth to Marthanda Varma. “Their conversation did not go well and Sunderrajan filed a case in the High Court questioning the royal family’s rights on the temple,” said the official.
In his petition filed in December 2009, Sunderrajan requested that the temple be handed over to the State government.
In August 2007, the temple authorities had decided to prepare an inventory of the wealth.
However, two devotees got a stay after which Sunderrajan filed a case, Marthanda Varma also approached the HC seeking the withdrawal of cases in lower courts.
The HC decided to hear the case along with that of Sunderrajan and in February 2011, a division bench comprising of Justices C.N. Ramachandran Nair and B.P. Ray directed the State government to take over the temple and prepare an inventory of its wealth.
However, the State government was not keen on taking over the temple. Meanwhile, Marthanda Varma approached the Supreme Court, which on May 2011 stayed the HC directive on takeover but deputed an expert panel to examine the temple cellars.