Sabarimala Gold Scam: HC Orders Registration Of Criminal Case
Vigilance investigation reveals malpractice in temple door frames as well
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2025-10-10 06:57 GMT
Kochi: The report by the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer, Devaswom, on the Sabrimala gold scandal revealed that a significant amount of gold was handed over to donor Unnikrishnan Potti.
Details from the investigation, included in the Kerala High Court's interim order on Friday, showed that about 474.9 grams of gold were given to Potti, with no record indicating its return to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
The High Court noted that the mislabelling of gold-clad items as "copper plates," the unauthorised extraction of gold from those plates and the misappropriation of the extracted gold appear to be serious offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Although the investigation initially focused on the Dwarapalakas, the High Court observed that the findings also pointed to significant malpractices involving the door frames.
The investigation revealed discrepancies in internal communications within the TDB. The court directed the state police chief to have the Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by ADGP Crime H Venkatesh, register a case regarding the missing gold from the Dwarapalaka idol at Sabarimala temple. The SIT has been tasked with conducting an unbiased probe and submitting a report within six weeks.
"From the investigation so far conducted, it appears that in so far as side frames/lintel, similar misappropriation of gold has been carried out. It is also revealed from the report that a substantial quantity of gold, amounting to 474.9 gm, was handed over directly to Unnikrishnan Potti.
The records do not reveal that the aforesaid quantity of gold was entrusted to the TDB. In view of the above revelation with regard to the side frame /lintels, the aforesaid aspects are also to be investigated by the SIT in addition to all other aspects which may come up in the course of investigation. It would be open to the SIT to decide as to whether separate crimes have to be registered insofar as dwarapalakas as well as the lintels," the court said.
The division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and V Jayakumar also barred the probe team from interacting with the media until the investigation concludes, urging electronic and print media to avoid sensationalising the matter. The SIT must submit a status report every two weeks in a sealed cover, and the court will review the case again after 10 days.
Additionally, former HC judge Justice K T Sankaran has been assigned to visit the temple on October 11- 12 to take inventory of all valuables at Sabarimala temple.