Sabarimala gold case: A criminal probe that has turned into a test of governance

New Delhi: With the annual Makaravilakku season drawing lakhs of devotees to Sabarimala, a criminal probe into alleged misappropriation of gold from the Lord Ayyappa temple has widened into a larger political and institutional storm, raising questions on how far accountability will travel beyond the immediate accused. 

The controversy relates to restoration work undertaken on gold-plated copper structures in the temple, including the Dwarapalaka idols and portions of the Sreekovil. Investigators have named former priest Unnikrishnan Potti as the prime accused, alleging that gold was removed during authorised repair work, triggering anger among devotees and sharpening scrutiny of the safeguards around temple assets. 

The case has also revived attention on the gold-plating project executed over two decades ago. Materials involved in the present dispute trace back to a major donation made in 1998 by industrialist Vijay Mallya, when around 32 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper were donated for gold plating the Sreekovil roof, thazhikakudams and sacred steps. The project was valued at about Rs 18 crore and was executed under the supervision of the Travancore Devaswom Board. 

According to the investigation narrative, decorative panels and sacred coverings were removed from the temple in 2019 for restoration. After the work was completed, the artefacts were returned and no public concerns were flagged at the time. The issue resurfaced in October 2025 after a vigilance inspection was conducted by the Travancore Devaswom Board following directions from the Kerala High Court. The inspection reportedly found discrepancies in the weight of certain gold-plated panels when compared with earlier records, while laboratory tests indicated a reduction in gold content. 

Acting on these findings, the High Court ordered a detailed probe and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), shifting the matter from an internal review to a criminal investigation. 

The SIT has alleged that gold-plated panels were removed from Sabarimala and sent to a metal processing unit near Chennai on the pretext of repairs. Investigators suspect the gold was chemically separated from the alloy at the unit. The factory owner was arrested, followed by the arrest of a jeweller from Ballari in Karnataka who allegedly purchased the extracted gold. The SIT has said it is examining whether altered or replica panels were later returned to the temple after the original parts were stripped. 

As arrests mounted, the focus widened from alleged actions of individuals to what investigators and political critics describe as possible administrative failures. Several senior officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board were arrested, including former administrative officer Murari Babu, former executive officer Sudheesh Kumar and former commissioner for sacred ornaments K S Baiju. Their arrests strengthened the argument, made by both investigators and opposition voices, that the alleged theft could not have taken place without serious lapses in oversight. 

A major political turn came on November 11 with the arrest of former Travancore Devaswom Board president N Vasu, identified as a CPM leader. The SIT has alleged that Vasu issued permission in 2019 for a gold-plated sheet to be taken to Chennai for electroplating, and that it was recorded as copper in official documents and in the mahazar on his instructions. The SIT has also stated that he was aware additional gold belonging to the temple remained with the accused after renovation work, but did not ensure its recovery. 

Two FIRs have been registered so far. One concerns the alleged theft of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols, while the second relates to irregularities in the gold plating of the temple door during the same period. Investigators have seized 576 grams of gold, including 400 grams recovered from a jeweller in Ballari and 176 grams seized from Potti’s residence in Bengaluru. Officials have indicated this could represent only a small portion of the gold allegedly misappropriated. 

The arrest of senior Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru added another sensitive layer to the case. A member of the Thazhamon Madom family, which has overseen Sabarimala rituals for generations, Rajeevaru is the first serving Tantri to be arrested in connection with the probe. In its remand report filed on January 9, 2026, the SIT accused him of criminal conspiracy and misuse of position, alleging that sacred coverings were dismantled without proper checks and that prescribed rituals were bypassed. The SIT invoked provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, treating the Tantri as a public servant on the ground that he receives an honorarium from the Devaswom Board. 

With arrests cutting across priests, officials and a political figure, the controversy quickly escalated into a wider political confrontation. Opposition parties accused the LDF government of administrative failure and demanded accountability from Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan. 

The BJP has sharpened its attack, arguing that safeguarding temple assets is the responsibility of the Travancore Devaswom Board and the government. State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has said accountability appears to have stopped at priests and middle-level officials while political responsibility remains unaddressed. He announced that the BJP would observe “Sabarimala Samrakshana Deepam” on Makaravilakku Day, framing it as a protest to highlight concerns related to temple administration and transparency. 

Former BJP state president K Surendran has also questioned what he described as selective action in the investigation. He pointed to the absence of arrests of former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran and senior official P S Prasanth, despite what he claimed were statements by the prime accused. Surendran has argued that the Tantri’s role is confined to ritual observances, while control over the devaswom bhandaram rests with the Travancore Devaswom Board. 

Surendran further alleged that the remand report against the Tantri focused largely on purported violations of customary practices and did not clearly establish monetary gain. He also questioned why a former Devaswom Board member, K P Sankardas, who had signed official minutes, had not been proceeded against. 

In a separate line of attack, Surendran referred to a photograph he claimed showed the prime accused and the Ballari-based jeweller alongside Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, and demanded an explanation from Congress leaders. He also cited claims about possible international links, which Congress leaders have not publicly addressed to his satisfaction. These claims have become part of the political slugfest around the case, even as the investigation remains focused on the alleged diversion and recovery of temple gold. 

BJP leaders have maintained that the party is not defending any individual named in the case and is seeking a full and impartial investigation that fixes responsibility across political, administrative and institutional levels. 

As the SIT continues its probe, the Sabarimala gold theft case has become a measure of how Kerala handles allegations that strike at public faith and trust. For devotees, it has raised troubling questions about how sacred property is protected. For the state, it has evolved into a test of whether accountability will extend beyond individuals to the systems tasked with safeguarding one of India’s most revered temples.