Sabarimala Gold Theft: SIT Report Alleges Criminal Conspiracy by TDB Officials
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala temple during gold-plating works has submitted an interim report before the Kerala High Court. The report mentions a criminal conspiracy involving P.S. Prashanth, then president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), and several others. The court has permitted the SIT to register a fresh case against the accused.
According to the report, the evidence establishes the roles of Murari Babu, Executive Officer of Sabarimala; Unnikrishnan Potti, the sponsor for gold-plating the Dwarapalaka idols; Pankaj Bhandari, proprietor of Smart Creations, Chennai; A. Ajikumar, TDB member; Kandararu Rajeevaru, chief priest (Tantri); and Rejilal, Thiruvabharanam Commissioner. The accused are alleged to have acted in concert, committing offences including criminal breach of trust, forgery, and criminal conspiracy under Sections 316(2), 316(5), 336(2), and 61(2) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The SIT, led by officer S. Sasidharan, submitted the interim report to a Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar. The bench observed that stringent action ought to be initiated under the BNSS and directed the SIT to expedite the final report.
The probe revealed that the Dwarapalaka idols, originally clad with gold in 1998, were transported from Sabarimala to Chennai in 2019 at Mr. Potti's request. TDB officers, with malicious intent, described the coverings as copper plates to conceal their true nature. The original gold cladding was removed at a private firm in Chennai, and only a minimal quantity was used for gold plating. The remaining gold was misappropriated, the report states.
Despite inferior work, a false certificate claiming a 40-year warranty was issued. Within months, the gold plating deteriorated, exposing the copper surface. To conceal the pilferage, the accused conspired to transport the Dwarapalakas to Chennai again in 2025 under the guise of fresh gold-plating.
The High Court also noted references to the roles of Sundareshan (TDB member), Bindhu (board secretary), Mahesh Mohanararu (Tantri), Sunila (Thiruvabharanam Commissioner), O.G. Biju (executive officer), Sreenivas (administrative officer), Hemanth (assistant executive officer), Pandurangaiah Naga Govardhan (jeweller), and V.S. Rajendra Prasad (former executive officer). The court directed the SIT to take action if evidence of their involvement is found. The next hearing is scheduled for July 20.
