Sabarimala gold loss: ED conducts searches across Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu

The case involves allegations of the misappropriation of around 4.54 kg of gold from sacred temple artefacts during refinishing and re-gold-plating works undertaken in 2019.

• ED raids 21 sites in Kerala, Karnataka, TN over Sabarimala gold theft
• Kerala High Court orders fresh inspection after VSSC finds gold quantity reduced
• Protests urge CBI investigation into alleged theft of 4.54 kg gold from temple

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Tuesday, carried out searches at around 21 locations across Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as part of its money laundering investigation into the alleged loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple.

The searches are being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after the ED registered a case based on a Kerala Police FIR.

Premises linked to the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, in Bengaluru, as well as those associated with former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar, are among the locations covered, sources said.

The case, which has significant political and religious sensitivities, is also being investigated by a state Special Investigation Team (SIT) operating under the supervision of the Kerala High Court.

The investigations relate to alleged irregularities, including official misconduct, administrative lapses and a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate gold from artefacts at the Lord Ayyappa shrine. The SIT is examining the reported loss of gold from gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).

The Kerala High Court, on Monday, directed the SIT to conduct a fresh on-site inspection at the Sabarimala temple after reviewing a scientific report submitted by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). A division bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar issued the order after the report confirmed a substantial reduction in both the quantity and purity of gold used in key temple structures.

According to the VSSC findings, there is a clear mismatch between the original gold layers, imported from Switzerland and donated by the UB Group in 1998, and the lower-quality gold found on the structures after replating work carried out in 2019. Investigators suspect the original gold was extracted through a chemical process and replaced with freshly plated copper replicas.

To further the probe, the High Court has authorised the SIT to record detailed statements from several officials linked to the refurbishment work.

The developments come amid mounting demands from socio-religious groups for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. The Sabarimala Karma Samithi recently staged a protest outside the Kerala Secretariat, alleging deliberate damage to the shrine and mismanagement by the Devaswom Board.

The protests followed the arrest of former TDB member K P Sankaradas, who was detained by the SIT and later remanded by a judge of the Kollam Vigilance Court. Sankaradas had served on the TDB administrative committee during Padmakumar’s tenure, a period investigators believe is central to the alleged irregularities.

The case involves allegations of the misappropriation of around 4.54 kg of gold from sacred temple artefacts during refinishing and re-gold-plating works undertaken in 2019.