A recent vigilance report from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has brought to light significant irregularities in how gold was managed during the 2019 restoration work at Sabarimala’s Sreekovil. The report explicitly states that moving the sacred gold-clad plates outside the temple premises was a severe violation of established protocols.
This comprehensive report prompted the Kerala High Court to order the creation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a thorough inquiry. The report strongly implies that the gold-clad plates belonging to the Dwarapalaka idols could not have been transported to Chennai for electroplating without the full awareness of the Travancore Devaswom Board members at the time.
The official TDB Manual clearly stipulates that all work involving precious temple artifacts must be performed within the temple grounds and under strict supervision. Specifically, sacred ornaments, known as Thiruvabharanams, are to be repaired directly under the Assistant Commissioner’s watchful eye. However, the report highlights that these crucial guidelines were disregarded when the plates were given to a sponsor, Unnikrishnan Potti, on July 20, 2019. The items were then taken to Smart Creations in Chennai and were not returned for a substantial 49-day period.
The report calls for an investigation into whether this unauthorized action occurred due to pressure or direct instructions from the then-board members.
Further, the vigilance team discovered that Mr. Potti, who was credited with sponsoring multiple gold-cladding projects at the temple, had no consistent income source. A preliminary review of his income tax returns from 2017 to 2025, conducted via his chartered accountant, exposed that the repair and gold-plating of the temple’s main door, officially attributed to Mr. Potti, were in fact financed by Govardanan, a businessman from Ballari. Likewise, the gold-plating of the door frame, also listed under Mr. Potti’s sponsorship, was funded by Ajikumar, another businessman based in Bengaluru.
Despite these findings, the vigilance team also recorded Mr. Potti’s acknowledged contributions to the temple. In January 2025, he sponsored various pujas and elaborate decorations flanking the 18 sacred steps at Sabarimala. He also supported the installation of a lift at the Annadanamandapam and contributed ₹6 lakh for the Annadanam (free meal service). Previously, in 2017, he had made a significant donation of ₹8.2 lakh, in addition to 17 tonnes of rice and 30 tonnes of vegetables to the temple.
The report explicitly points out failures on the part of nine Devaswom officials involved in entrusting the gold-clad Dwarapalaka idol plates to Mr. Potti in 2019. The individuals named are former administrative officer Murari Babu, former executive officer D. Sudish Kumar, former secretary S. Jayashree, assistant engineer K. Sunil Kumar, administrative officer S. Sreekumar, former Thiruvabharanam Commissioners K.S. Baiju and R.J. Radhakrishnan, former executive officer V.S. Rajendraprasad, former administrative officer K. Rajendran Nair, and the then-Deputy Devaswom Commissioner (Finance Inspection Wing).