Gold stripped from Sabarimala through organised op: SIT | India News

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/THRISSUR: Gold embedded in sacred structures of Sabarimala temple in central Kerala was allegedly stripped, diverted and converted through a planned operation involving temple officials, intermediaries and private jewellers, a state-appointed SIT told a vigilance court. In a report seeking police custody of key accused, SIT said gold-plated copper sheets forming part of the sanctum sanctorum were removed in 2019 under the pretext of repairs, chemically stripped of gold at a private Chennai workshop and returned with fresh plating to conceal the loss. According to investigators, ornamental panels depicting 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu, zodiac symbols, the sanctum door lintel and the prabhamandalam (an arch behind the idol) were falsely described as ordinary copper sheets to secure their removal, causing unlawful loss to Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple. SIT alleged criminal breach of trust, saying extracted gold was neither reported to devaswom authorities nor returned to temple treasury but treated as personal property. Arrests have been made and accused remanded in judicial custody, with SIT telling court interrogation in custody was essential to trace remaining gold and establish full chain of responsibility. SIT named former TDB president A Padmakumar, devaswom commissioner N Vasu, Sabarimala executive officer Sudheesh Kumar, administrative officer Murari Babu and others, along with Chennai-based Smart Creations CEO Pankaj Bhandari and Ballari-based jeweller Roddam Pandu Rangaiah Naga Govardhan. Prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti was also produced before court.