Kerala HC Directs SIT To Probe Corruption Angle In Sabarimala Gold Theft Case

Sabarimala gold theft case: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the loss of gold from Sabarimala Temple, to investigate if any Travancore Devaswom Board officials can be charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. If they find evidence, the court said the SIT should take necessary legal action.

A bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar issued the order after observing that there were “grave irregularities” and possible acts of “misappropriation” in connection with the gold-plating of the temple’s ‘Dwarapalaka’ (guardian deity) idols and other artefacts, news agency PTI reported.

The high court found that the Board’s official records were poorly maintained, with the minutes

updated only till July 28, 2025, and even those entries incomplete. It also pointed out that a key order dated September 2, 2025 — which allowed the gold-plating work to be carried out at a private Chennai firm — was not recorded in the minutes at all. The bench called this lapse “serious” and said it may indicate attempts to hide wrongdoing.

The court observed that Bengaluru-based businessman Unnikrishnan Potty, the main accused in the case, was given unchecked access to carry out gold-plating works, allegedly in collusion with certain TDB officials. What appeared to be a devotional offering, the bench said, now looks like a calculated act of deceit.

The court also allowed the SIT to conduct scientific tests to determine the exact amount of gold lost, and directed that these tests be completed before November 15, ahead of the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. The bench issued the directions and made the observations in a new writ petition initiated on its own to monitor the probe into the irregularities.

The case has been posted for December 3.

What’s The Case?

The alleged loss of weight of gold came to light during the Court’s intervention while considering a suo motu petition initiated on the basis of a report of the Special Commissioner stating that the Gold-cladded copper covering of the Dwarapalaka idols and the Peedam on which the idols were fixed, were removed without prior intimation to it.

Subsequently, a vigilance report highlighted lapses by Devaswom officials in connection with the gold loss, prompting the court to direct the SIT to register a criminal case and initiate a probe.

Following this, the SIT registered two cases related to missing gold from the plates of the Dwarapalaka idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frame, arraigning 10 people, including Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potty and some Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials, as accused.

Potty, who had sponsored the electroplating of the gold-clad copper plates on the Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil door frames in 2019, was later arrested.

(With inputs from agencies)