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Evidence found against former Travancore Devaswom Board chairman in the Sabarimala gold case !

Kerala High Court permits registration of a new case

Kochi (Kerala) – Important evidence has been found against former Travancore Devaswom Board chairman P.S. Prasanth in the Sabarimala temple gold theft case. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) informed the Kerala High Court that it has sufficient evidence regarding the role of several officials and Board members. The High Court observed that if the SIT so desires, it may either register a separate new case relating to the 2025 gold-plating matter or incorporate its investigation findings into the already pending case concerning the disappearance of gold in 2019. The investigation into the role of several other officials and former Board members is still underway. If sufficient evidence is found against them, the SIT may also initiate legal action against them. The next hearing in the case will be held on 20 July.

Former Board chairman P.S. Prasanth has denied the allegations against him. He said, “There is no direct allegation against me in the 2025 gold-plating case. The only allegation is that prior permission from the Court was not obtained. All rules were followed while sending the Murtis for re-plating. The Board had no knowledge of the alleged gold misappropriation in 2019.”

Congress leader claims gold worth ₹500 crore was stolen from the temple

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who had earlier provided important information to the SIT in this case, claimed that the involvement of former officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board in the temple gold theft cannot be ruled out. He said, “I estimate that the value of the missing property could be around ₹500 crore.”

What is the case ?

1. Industrialist Vijay Mallya had donated 31 kg of gold to the temple. This gold was used for gold plating at various places in the temple.

2. Gold was allegedly removed from the gold-plated copper plates covering the garbhagriha and the Dwarapalaka Murtis of the Sabarimala temple and misappropriated.

3. The Special Investigation Team constituted by the Kerala Government found that Devaswom Board officials had handed over these plates without obtaining proper permission and that businessmen and others were allegedly involved in collusion.

4. In Chennai, the old gold layer on the Murtis was removed. Only a very small quantity of gold was required for the new plating; however, the remaining gold was allegedly misappropriated.

5. Despite the work not being carried out properly, a 40-year warranty certificate was issued for the Murtis. Nevertheless, within a few months, the gold layer deteriorated and the copper surface beneath became visible.

6. A plan was allegedly devised in 2025 to send the Murtis back to Chennai in order to conceal the alleged gold misappropriation that took place in 2019. After P.S. Prasanth became the Board chairman in November 2023, the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, allegedly gained his confidence and proposed re-plating the Murtis. Some Board members were reportedly aware that the gold remaining from 2019 was still with Unnikrishnan Potti. Nevertheless, instead of taking action, they allegedly helped suppress the matter.

7. Former temple priest Namboodari Unnikrishnan Potti, gold trader D. Mani and former Travancore Devaswom Board chairman A. Padmakumar are among the principal accused arrested in the case. Nine others have also been arrested.

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