Sabarimala Gold Theft: Former TDB President Detained by SIT for Questioning

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Kerala High Court to probe the Sabarimala gold theft case detained former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram early Thursday morning (July 23, 2026). The detention came hours after Mr Prasanth posted on Facebook that his arrest in the case was imminent.

While the SIT has not officially confirmed whether Mr Prasanth has been arrested or formally charged, his detention marks a significant development in the case. The SIT has been investigating allegations that the TDB, under Mr Prasanth's leadership during the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, sent gold-plated copper panels from the Sabarimala temple for electroplating under questionable circumstances.

According to officials, the SIT suspects that the TDB administration cited non-existent defects as a pretext to dispatch the panels to Smart Creations, a metal works factory in Chennai. The panels, which flank the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum, had previously been repaired by the same firm in 2019, with a warranty guaranteeing their golden sheen for at least 40 years. The SIT is investigating whether the warranty was issued in the name of Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, thereby omitting the TDB from the agreement and potentially insulating Smart Creations from liability.

The SIT has also enlisted the National Metallurgical Laboratory under the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research to compare the original gold covering installed in 1989 with the panels returned after electroplating. A report submitted to the High Court's Devaswom Board Bench is believed to contain incriminating findings, which may have prompted the detention.

Mr Prasanth has protested his innocence in a Facebook post, stating that the panels were transported under police escort and were never in Mr Potti's custody. He added that the TDB had apologized to the High Court for not obtaining permission before removing the panels. His detention follows that of two other former TDB presidents: A. Padmakumar, a CPI(M) leader, and N. Vasu, both LDF appointees.

The case continues to attract public attention and remains a key political issue in Kerala.