Fresh FIRs relate to the transport of the temple's gold-clad idols to Chennai in 2025 during the second LDF government
Sabarimala gold row: From idol transport to fresh FIR, why the case is escalating
The SIT has named seven accused in a fresh Sabarimala gold case linked to the transport of gold-clad idols to Chennai. Will the probe widen further?
The Sabarimala gold case has returned to the spotlight, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) filing a fresh case and naming seven accused, including former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P S Prasanth and former chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru. The case relates to the transport of the temple's gold-clad idols to Chennai in 2025 during the second LDF government.
The development comes weeks after special government pleader K B Pradeep resigned shortly after taking charge. His resignation followed revelations that he had earlier represented Smart Creations, the Chennai-based firm under investigation in the case. The Opposition alleged that the government was attempting to shield the accused.
Also read: Sabarimala gold case: Kerala home minister backs SIT probe, says guilty won’t be spared
The latest case has added another chapter to an investigation that has already seen multiple arrests and court-monitored proceedings.
Earlier arrests
This is not the first round of arrests in the Sabarimala gold case. Earlier, the SIT registered two cases over the alleged theft of gold during the first Pinarayi Vijayan government.
During that phase of the investigation, CPI(M) leader and former MLA A Padmakumar was arrested. Two former Travancore Devaswom Board presidents and a former chief priest also spent time in jail as under trials before securing bail.
The fresh case specifically concerns the transportation of the gold-clad Dwarapalaka idols to Chennai for re-plating.
Fresh case
According to the SIT, the accused include late former Sabarimala executive officer Murari Babu, sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty, Smart Creations proprietor Pankaj Bhandari, former TDB president P S Prasanth, TDB member Adv. A Ajikumar, former chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru, and Thiruvabharanam Commissioner Rejilal.
Also read: Sabarimala gold loss | 'Agents' of CPI(M), CMO in SIT probing cases: Satheesan
The SIT has booked the accused for criminal breach of trust, forgery and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the court, TDB members permitted Unnikrishnan Potty to transport the temple's gold-clad idols to Chennai, where investigators allege the original gold disappeared during what was presented as a replating process.
Court monitoring
The Kerala High Court had directed the SIT to submit its final report by June 29. However, the investigation team sought additional time, stating that it is awaiting forensic reports from the National Metallurgical Laboratory and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
The matter has now been posted for hearing on July 20.
Meanwhile, the SIT is considering registering a third case, separate from the investigation into the temple's gold-clad doorframes.
The Enforcement Directorate's money laundering investigation is also continuing, with some assets linked to Unnikrishnan Potty already frozen. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for July 20.The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.
