The Kerala High Court has authorised the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to open a new criminal case linked to the alleged misappropriation of gold at Sabarimala. This decision follows evidence revealing potential involvement of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president PS Prashanth and former board member A Ajikumar in the conspiracy surrounding the replating of guardian deity idols. The ruling allows the SIT to either initiate a fresh case related to the 2025 replating or to integrate these findings into the existing investigation concerning supposed gold losses from a 2019 replating attempt.

The high-profile investigation has significantly expanded, as both Prashanth, associated with the CPI(M), and Ajikumar, linked to the CPI, were not initially part of the list of accused. The SIT, formed by the court, aims to scrutinise allegations regarding gold loss from the guardian deities and the gold-plated door frames of the sanctum sanctorum, which were reportedly sent to Chennai for replating in 2019.

Court Highlights Evidence of Deception

In its detailed order, the High Court underscored the findings from the ongoing investigation, noting that the guardian deities were originally covered in gold back in 1998. These idols were moved to Chennai in 2019 at the behest of sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty. Allegations surfaced claiming that officials misrepresented the nature of the idols while securing permissions for their transportation. The court stated that certain TDB officers deliberately mislabelled the gold-clad deities as copper plates to facilitate the removal of the original gold cladding.

The investigation suggested that during the replating in Chennai, most of the original gold was removed, with only a small amount used for new plating. According to the court’s findings, the remaining gold was allegedly misappropriated by individuals involved in the case. Furthermore, the High Court noted that the new gold plating applied in 2019 deteriorated rapidly, revealing copper underneath and raising suspicions of ongoing fraudulent activities.

Emerging evidence indicated a subsequent conspiracy among the accused to again transport the idols to Chennai for so-called fresh gold plating, ostensibly to mask earlier misappropriations. This recent scheme was allegedly orchestrated to cover up the theft of gold during the prior replating in 2019, involving both the sponsor and TDB officials, who were implicated in wrongful decision-making.

Authorities Identify Multiple Accused in the Case

The SIT has identified seven key individuals allegedly involved in the conspiracy, including Murari Babu, former Executive Officer; Unnikrishnan Potty; Pankaj Bhandari, owner of Chennai Smart Creations; PS Prashanth; A Ajikumar; Kandararu Rajeevaru, former chief priest; and Rejilal, former Thiruvabharanam Commissioner. The team claims to have gathered substantial evidence indicating the accused engaged in a premeditated conspiracy involving multiple criminal offences such as criminal breach of trust and forgery.

Investigator S Sasidharan submitted a comprehensive status report, revealing that the conspiracy extended beyond the original accused and included additional officials and TDB members. After Prashanth became TDB president in November 2023, Potty allegedly gained his trust, leading to a proposal for new replating. Board members reportedly supported the controversial decision to transport the idols, even when aware it violated both the Devaswom Manual and previous court directives.

The SIT’s investigation into gold misappropriation from the sanctum sanctorum door frames has concluded, only pending the filing of a final report. However, further time is requested to complete the inquiry into the guardian deities, with pending expert analysis remaining. The High Court acknowledged that additional high-profile individuals are still being scrutinised, urging the SIT to continue its thorough investigation to ensure accountability.

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