The Special Investigation Team (SIT) delving into the mysterious disappearance of gold from the revered Sabarimala temple is on the verge of submitting its inaugural progress report to the Kerala High Court. This anticipated submission is expected as the division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and K.V. Jayakumar reconvenes to hear the case on Tuesday.
Sources close to the investigation have revealed that the report will provide a comprehensive update on the probe’s current status. A significant highlight will be the details surrounding the arrest of Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potti. Potti is the individual who sponsored the electroplating of gold-clad copper plates for the sacred Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames back in 2019, from which gold is now reported missing.
The SIT’s investigation has expanded beyond Kerala, reaching Chennai, where the electroplating work on these valuable temple artifacts was carried out. The High Court had previously issued clear directives to the SIT, stipulating that a progress report must be filed within two weeks and the entire investigation concluded within a six-week timeframe.
Currently, the SIT has registered two distinct cases concerning the alleged gold loss from both the Dwarapalaka idols and the Sreekovil door frames. A total of ten individuals have been named as accused in these cases, including Unnikrishnan Potti and certain officials from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Further interrogations of the remaining accused are expected to take place shortly.
Adding another layer to the proceedings, Justice KT Sankaran, a retired High Court judge appointed as amicus curiae to compile an inventory of the hill shrine’s valuables, including its gold reserves, is also scheduled to present his preliminary findings to the court on Tuesday. Justice Sankaran recently completed an inspection of the strong rooms at Sabarimala.
The controversy has also drawn political commentary. Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress party has asserted that a CBI probe is essential for the Sabarimala gold ‘theft’. Echoing similar sentiments, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph voiced strong allegations, claiming that the state government is actively shielding those implicated in the Sabarimala case. “Even though the court ordered the SIT probe on October 6, the arrest was made only on October 16,” Joseph stated. “While Congress workers are arrested within hours in other cases, those accused of stealing crores of rupees worth of gold from Sabarimala are freely roaming. The government is intentionally protecting them.” This statement highlights the growing political pressure surrounding the high-profile investigation.