On 29th June (Monday), the Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into the misappropriation of Sabarimala gold was given permission by the Kerala High Court to file a new criminal case against two leaders of the Left Democratic Front. The development occurred when investigators informed the court that they had unveiled evidence connecting CPI leader and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) member A Ajikumar along with CPI(M) leader and former Board president PS Prashanth to the matter.
“It is for the Special Investigation Team to carry the investigation forward with all diligence and vigour and, if the materials so warrant, either register a fresh crime in respect of the transaction relating to the year 2025 or file a further report in the Dwarapalaka case,” pronounced the Division Bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar. The latest development brings a third consecutive Devaswom Board into criminal proceedings in the prominent case.
The court emphasised, “Every endeavour shall be made to ensure that no stone is left unturned in unearthing the truth and bringing all those found responsible to justice, in accordance with law.” In an extensive status report presented to the court, Investigating Officer S. Sasidharan stated that the inquiry uncovered evidence indicating that the conspiracy involved members and other TDB officials in addition to the initial perpetrators.
A Padmakumar, a former lawmaker and leader of the CPI(M), was arrested in two other cases launched by SIT last year. These included the theft that occurred in 2019 while the state was under the first LDF government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan. The current case concerns accusations that the idols were transported to Chennai in 2023 under the second consecutive term of the same government.
The cases were submitted after the court found that the temple’s Dwarapalaka (guardian) idols, which were first covered in gold in 1998, were moved to a Chennai company in 2019 at the request of businessman and prime accused in the case, Unnikrishnan Potty, under the pretence of financing and supervising a new gold plating. However, it came to light that part of the gold that had previously been on the idols was missing when they were restored.
According to the charge, a small quantity of gold was needed for new plating, and the rest of the precious metal was stolen. A certificate falsely claiming a 40-year warranty for the gold plating was produced to allay suspicions, but the coating had worn off, revealing the copper surface underneath in a matter of months.
The SIT disclosed that the accused wanted to cover up their actions and hence engaged in another criminal conspiracy to move the idols to Chennai once more in the name of new gold plating. Potty won Prashanth’s confidence after he became TDB president in November 2023 and convinced him to support the plan for fresh replating.
The SIT mentioned that Board members supported the decision to move the Dwarapalaka idols again even though they knew it went against the Devaswom Manual and the court’s previous orders. It stated that correspondence between the accused and Board members revealed that some officers and members were aware that Potty still had the remaining amount of gold taken from the idols in 2019, but they collaborated to hide the theft and misappropriation rather than taking appropriate action.
The investigation team reportedly collected “overwhelming material” demonstrating the involvement of Executive Officer Murari Babu, sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty, owner of Smart Creations Pankaj Bhandari, former TDB president PS Prashanth, board member Adv A Ajikumar, Thiruvabharanam Commissioner Rejilal and others.
It argued that their actions indicated offences such as criminal conspiracy, forgery, and breach of trust, which called for severe punishment under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
