The board cited procedural lapses, a lack of transparency, and contradictory past orders.
Published Oct 07, 2025 | 4:24 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 07, 2025 | 4:24 PM
Sabarimala
Synopsis: The court noted discrepancies in the gold content of the Dwarapalaka idols — nearly four kilograms of gold missing. Following this, the Bench directed the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer to conduct a detailed probe, citing inconsistencies in weight records and missing documentation from 2019.
The Travancore Devaswom Board on Tuesday, 7 October, has suspended Deputy Commissioner Murari Babu over alleged irregularities in the gold plating of Sabarimala’s sanctum sanctorum.
The board cited procedural lapses, a lack of transparency, and contradictory past orders. Babu had previously declared the Dwarapalaka copper in 2019, but in 2025, he directed it to be re-plated in gold. His earlier media statements, which were seen as misleading, further intensified the scrutiny.
It was a decision of the TDB that opened the cupboard and exposed the skeletons within.
On 10 September, Special Commissioner R Jayakrishnan submitted a report to the Kerala High Court alleging that the gold plating on the Dwarapalaka sculptures at Sabarimala had been removed without court approval — a serious breach of protocol.
The high court’s Devaswom Bench, which had earlier mandated that any gold work in the Sannidhanam must receive prior judicial sanction, viewed this non-compliance as a grave lapse.
TDB president PS Prashanth, however, defended the move, claiming that the gold-plated copper plates had been damaged and were sent to Chennai for repair with the Thantri’s (priest) consent.
He maintained that the procedure was carried out safely, with temple officials, vigilance personnel, and the donor’s representative present, and that the Special Commissioner’s approval was not required. But the court was not convinced.
On 11 September, the Kerala High Court ordered the immediate return of the gold-plated sheets sent to Chennai and criticised the TDB for acting “improperly” without prior approval.
It also halted all work by Smart Creations, the Chennai-based firm, and issued notices to senior Devaswom officials, warning of action for violating earlier court directives in similar cases.
The Bench noted that the plates, installed only in 2019 with a 40-year warranty, had been secretly removed at night, and reminded the Board that all such repairs must be done within the temple premises under supervision. On 15 September, the court again pulled up the TDB for its “casual and negligent” handling of the gold-clad idols and peedams.
Observing that Smart Creations had already begun the electroplating, the Bench permitted completion of the process but ordered the immediate return of the repaired pieces to the shrine.
The real shocker came on 17 September, when the court noted discrepancies in the gold content of the Dwarapalaka idols — nearly four kilograms of gold missing. The Bench directed the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer to conduct a detailed probe, citing inconsistencies in weight records and missing documentation from 2019.
According to reports, gold-cladded plates weighing 42.8 kg when handed over in July 2019 were returned weighing only 38.2 kg a month later — a difference of 4.5 kg that remains unexplained.
The idols had been entrusted to devotee Unnikrishnan Potty, the project’s sponsor, and sent to Smart Creations for plating, in violation of the Devaswom Sub-Group Manual that mandates such work be done at Sannidhanam itself.
The vigilance report added that no registers detailing the gold quantity were maintained and that another set of Dwarapalaka idols allegedly kept in the temple strong room could not be traced. Then came the most sensational twist.
On 27 September, vigilance officers raided the residence of Mini, sister of Unnikrishnan Potty, near Venjaramoodu in Thiruvananthapuram, and seized gold-plated peedams concealed in a sealed cover.
Potty, despite filing an affidavit earlier, had failed to disclose possession of these sacred objects.
The court slammed the TDB officials for entrusting priceless temple property to a private individual “with questionable antecedents” and ordered the investigation to continue “with renewed vigour.”
On 29 September, the Bench directed the creation of a comprehensive, digitised inventory of all valuables at Sannidhanam.
It appointed Justice KT Sankaran, former High Court judge, to oversee a thorough appraisal of all temple items, including those in the Thiruvabharanam Register and gold-cladded articles, assisted by an independent jewel appraiser.
Finally, on 6 October, the Kerala High Court ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the controversy, calling the revelations “shocking.”
The SIT, led by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) H Venkatesh and Superintendent of Police (SP) S Sasidharan, will include members from the Crime Branch and Cyber Division, with a mandate to complete the probe within a month.
The investigation will scrutinise the roles of sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty and Devaswom officials, and uncover how a sacred repair project turned into a glittering scandal.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)
