Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram) [India], October 24 (ANI): The investigation into the 2019 Sabarimala gold theft case has intensified, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) taking the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, to Bengaluru on Friday for evidence collection. Potti, who is currently in police custody until October 30, is alleged to have played a central role in the disappearance of gold-plated panels from the temple’s Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) structures.
On Thursday, the Ranni Court remanded former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) Executive Officer Murari Babu to 14 days in judicial custody in connection with the same case. Babu, who remains under suspension, was arrested from his residence in Perunna by the SIT and questioned at the Crime Branch office in Thiruvananthapuram before being produced in court. He will be lodged in the Thiruvananthapuram Special Sub Jail.
According to the SIT’s remand report, Babu allegedly falsified official documents to claim that the gold-plated panels were made of copper. Investigators believe he colluded with Potti during the 2019 restoration process by submitting misleading reports. The internal audit wing of the Devaswom Board had earlier held Babu responsible for discrepancies linked to the missing gold.
The case resurfaced recently when Unnikrishnan Potti claimed that four gold-plated panels he had donated in 2019 were missing, just ahead of the TDB-sponsored Global Ayyappa Sanghamam in September. The missing panels were later recovered from Potti’s sister’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram, prompting the Kerala High Court to order a detailed SIT probe into all TDB transactions involving Potti.
In response to the developments, TDB President P.S. Prasanth defended the current board, asserting that the SIT’s investigation—being conducted under High Court supervision—was progressing effectively. “The probe is moving in the right direction, and recovery of the missing gold remains our top priority,” he told reporters on Friday.
Prasanth dismissed allegations of a cover-up during the 2024 restoration as “politically motivated,” stating, “The current Devaswom Board has not committed any lapse. The only procedural issue was that the Special Commissioner was not informed, and explanations have already been sought from responsible officials.”
Addressing media speculation about his own involvement, Prasanth said, “They’re trying to portray me as a ‘gold thief’. I have only three bank accounts, and my total assets are less than ₹2.5 lakh. The house I live in was built using proceeds from my wife’s property sale. Let those accusing me reveal their own wealth first.”
He further clarified that the SIT has not yet requested any documents from the Board, but all relevant records from 1998 onward are being compiled and will be submitted within two days. Prasanth also condemned protests against Devaswom employees, saying such acts were “regrettable,” as the Board was committed to upholding temple traditions and ensuring full accountability.
Earlier, Assistant Engineer K. Sunil Kumar was also suspended by the TDB after being named an accused in the case. The Board has decided to issue show-cause notices to retired officers involved in the 2019 gold-plating controversy, granting them 10 days to respond.
“The Kerala government and the Devaswom Board share a clear stance — lost temple property must be recovered, and all culprits must be brought to justice,” Prasanth affirmed.
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