The Special Investigation Team (SIT), tasked with investigating the significant reduction in gold plating on the Sabarimala temple’s Dwarapalaka idols, submitted its interim report to the Kerala High Court on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. Investigations have revealed a worrying loss of 4.5 kg of gold from the copper coverings since 2019, prompting this crucial update to the court.
Superintendent of Police S. Sasidharan, appointed by the High Court to lead this sensitive inquiry earlier in the month, presented the report in a sealed envelope. A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar then held an in-camera hearing, ensuring that details remained confidential from both the public and media.
The court initiated the case earlier this month following a report from the Travancore Devaswom Board’s (TDB) Vigilance wing. This came after allegations surfaced that gold had gone ‘missing’ when the idols were sent to a Chennai firm for electroplating by businessman Unnikrishnan Potti. Subsequently, the court directed the formation of the SIT to thoroughly investigate both the gold loss and broader irregularities in the idol’s gold-cladding process.
As part of their intensive investigation, the SIT conducted a raid on Saturday at the residence of Mr. Potti, the primary suspect. Their objective was to confiscate crucial records and other evidence connected to the alleged disappearance of the gold.
In a remand report submitted to the magistrate court in Ranni, Pathanamthitta, last Friday, the SIT formally accused Mr. Potti, along with nine current and former members of the TDB, of serious offenses. These include conspiracy, theft, and illicit financial gain, all of which resulted in substantial losses for the revered temple.
The SIT’s findings also highlighted that Mr. Potti, who previously served as an assistant priest at the temple from 2004 to 2008, possessed intricate knowledge of the gold-plated coverings. These valuable coverings, originally a donation from industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998, were known to contain a considerable quantity of gold.