The vigilance wing of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has intensified its probe, questioning Unnikrishnan Potti regarding the alleged misappropriation and suspected misuse of sacred Sabarimala Ayyappa temple artifacts. These precious items are believed to have been used for private worship ceremonies at the homes of affluent cinema personalities and business figures across Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
In 2019, the TDB entrusted Mr. Potti, a prominent priest known for his connections and occasional work at the Sabarimala temple, with the critical task of restoring the gold-plated overlays that adorn the shrine’s ancient stone carvings and sculptures.
Following this, with official TDB approval, Mr. Potti transported these panels from the temple to a specialized firm in Chennai for the restoration work.
A significant development in the vigilance investigation last month was the recovery of two gold-plated coverings, previously reported missing from Sabarimala, found at Mr. Potti’s sister’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram.
Investigators also highlighted a suspicious inconsistency: in 2019, TDB officials had inexplicably certified these gilded panels, designated for restoration, as being made of pure copper.
The vigilance wing reportedly questioned Mr. Potti intensely about the inexplicable four-month delay in depositing the panels for restoration after they were removed from the temple in 2019, seeking to understand the events during this crucial period.
Furthermore, the investigation is scrutinizing whether Mr. Potti improperly used the temple’s sacred property for ‘private poojas’ – personal religious ceremonies – a concern sparked by 2019 video footage and photographs widely circulated in both social and traditional media. Authorities are also probing if these ceremonies were exploited by Mr. Potti or others for personal gain and illicit fundraising.
The probe extends to re-examining claims of a four-kilogram reduction in the weight of metals returned to the temple by Mr. Potti in 2019. Another major point of contention is why the Chennai-based restoration company issued a 40-year warranty for the refurbished temple panels directly in Mr. Potti’s name, rather than the Travancore Devaswom Board, which was the actual client.
This unusual warranty arrangement, issued in Mr. Potti’s name, reportedly compelled the TDB in August 2025 to re-engage his services for further repairs, despite the vigilance wing having raised significant concerns as early as 2019.
TDB President P. S. Prasanth clarified on Saturday that the Board itself had transported the panels, which cover the stone sculptures at the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum, to Chennai for repair under strict police escort. He emphasized that, unlike in 2019, the TDB did not entrust the panels directly to Mr. Potti this time, but rather summoned him to Chennai. Mr. Prasanth further stated that there was no reduction in the panels’ weight, confirming they remained at 38 kg (387 sovereigns) of gold-plated material.
After a four-hour interrogation session at the TDB headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Potti addressed reporters. He vehemently declared his innocence, claiming to be the target of a ‘media witch-hunt’ and denying all accusations leveled against him by journalists.