Potty is the key figure in the missing of gold from the Dwarapalaka sculpture and the temple’s door frame — two separate cases that have rocked the Travancore Devaswom Board.
Published Oct 16, 2025 | 7:20 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 16, 2025 | 8:40 PM
Sabarimala
Synopsis: Unnikrishnan Potty remains in custody as the SIT intensifies its probe, marking what officials describe as a “significant step” in cracking the case that has raised serious questions about accountability and transparency in one of Kerala’s most revered temples.
In a major development in the Sabarimala gold missing case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is learnt to have taken Unnikrishnan Potty, the prime accused, into custody, on Thursday, 16 October.
Potty is the key figure in the missing of gold from the Dwarapalaka sculpture and the temple’s door frame — two separate cases that have rocked the Travancore Devaswom Board.
According to Mathrubhumi report, Potty was picked up from his residence at Pulimath near Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday afternoon and later shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.
The SIT’s move comes after the Devaswom Vigilance recommended a comprehensive probe into all temple activities and offerings that were undertaken through Potty’s sponsorship. The vigilance report flagged that his transactions were “mysterious” and suspected that he had made “huge profits” through temple-related contracts, calling for a detailed investigation.
According to the report, the gold plating work carried out by Smart Creations, a Chennai-based firm, lacked transparency. It was revealed that the gold used for plating the temple’s flagpole and dome was not sourced from devotees’ offerings but processed in Bengaluru and Mumbai before being sent to Chennai.
The probe has further unearthed serious lapses dating back to 16 February 2019, when the Sabarimala Executive Officer recommended handing over the gold-plated copper plates from the shrine’s kattila (door) to Unnikrishnan Potty for re-plating. When the proposal reached the Devaswom Commissioner, references to “gold-plated copper plates” were allegedly altered to just “copper plates,” effectively bypassing oversight.
The SIT, led by Crime Branch Chief H Venkatesh, has already visited the Sabarimala Sannidhanam, examined records, and questioned several Devaswom employees, including priest.
The 2019 Devaswom Board has been named as the eighth accused in the second FIR. The Prevention of Corruption Act is likely to be invoked against several officials.
The investigation has also pointed to dereliction of duty by senior officials, including the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, Sabarimala Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, and Assistant Engineer.
If found guilty, the Devaswom Board is expected to initiate steps to withhold pension benefits, recover losses, and seize the missing gold from the accused officials and individuals.
Unnikrishnan Potty remains in custody as the SIT intensifies its probe, marking what officials describe as a “significant step” in cracking the case that has raised serious questions about accountability and transparency in one of Kerala’s most revered temples.
On Sunday, 12 October, the SIT carried out an inspection at the Chennai-based firm Smart Creations, which undertook the gold-plating work at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Investigators suspect that alleged irregularities in the separation of gold occurred at this facility.
Simultaneously, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated its own probe into the controversy, stepping in after the Crime Branch registered two FIRs in connection with the case.
According to officials, the central agency has begun a preliminary inquiry and is closely scrutinising documents, witness statements, and related evidence.
The ED’s investigation will also examine findings from the Travancore Devaswom Board’s Vigilance wing, which earlier flagged discrepancies in the temple’s gold-plating process.
Sources said the agency aims to trace possible financial irregularities and determine whether violations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) have occurred.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
