Inside the Sabarimala Gold Heist: When Devotion Turned to Deceit
“The Sabarimala gold scandal reveals deep-rooted lapses and collusion, testing the faith of millions ahead of pilgrimage season.”
Paromita Das
New Delhi, 18th October: The Sabarimala shrine — one of South Bharat’s most sacred spiritual landmarks — is at the center of a scandal that has shaken Kerala’s faith, politics, and administrative integrity.
What began as a routine act of devotion — replating the gold on temple idols — has spiraled into a criminal saga of theft, deceit, and betrayal.
The arrest of Unnikrishnan Potti, once a trusted patron of temple works, has turned the Sabarimala case into what many are calling one of the darkest chapters in Kerala’s religious governance.
The Arrest That Changed Everything
After weeks of speculation and mounting judicial pressure, the Kerala High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) finally made its move.
Led by SP Bijoy, the team arrested Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold plating scandal. Following interrogation and procedural checks, Potti was taken to Thiruvananthapuram for a medical examination before being presented in Ranni Court.
For the SIT, this wasn’t just another arrest. It symbolized the unmasking of a rot that goes beyond theft — one that calls into question the sanctity of Sabarimala and the credibility of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) itself.
A Case That Tarnished a Temple
Investigators revealed that Potti’s role extended far beyond sponsorship.
The gold missing from the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) statues and the kattilappadi (threshold) of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) totaled 475 grams, nearly 56 sovereigns. Shockingly, only three grams were reportedly used for actual gold plating.
The rest? Allegedly siphoned off for personal enrichment.
SIT reports indicate that Potti also collected donations in Bengaluru for the same project, effectively double-dipping under the guise of piety. During questioning, he allegedly admitted premeditated intent and even named certain TDB officials as co-conspirators.
If proven, these claims could unravel a larger network of corruption — linking religious contractors, administrative officials, and temple authorities in a scandal that goes far beyond one man.
Court’s Wrath: A Moral and Legal Wake-Up Call
The first signs of trouble appeared when the Kerala High Court, on September 12, came down heavily on the Travancore Devaswom Board for removing gold-plated coverings without clearance from the Sabarimala Special Commissioner.
A visibly displeased bench, led by Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K.V. Jayakumar, described the act as “unacceptable negligence.”
The court reminded the Board that temple assets belong to the devotees, not administrators, and must be treated with utmost accountability.
The judges also questioned how gold plating guaranteed to last forty years needed “repairs” after only six.
The High Court ordered:
- Immediate suspension of all ongoing gold plating work
- Retrieval of gold parts sent to Chennai
- Seizure of documents related to past idol repairs and replacements
This was more than an administrative rebuke — it was a moral indictment, signaling a deep erosion of public trust in temple management.
Missing Records, Dubious Links, and Deepening Shadows
As investigators dug deeper, they unearthed a trail of missing invoices, altered tenders, and suspicious contracts between Potti and Smart Creations, a Chennai-based firm hired for electroplating.
The SIT also uncovered names of intermediaries — including Kalpesh, who allegedly brokered deals through Smart Creations, and a Hyderabad-based contact who managed the transport of gold.
Several Devaswom Board documents have vanished, raising suspicions of deliberate destruction of evidence.
A forensic audit is now underway to trace every gram of stolen gold and uncover the financial architecture of the crime.
Sources close to the investigation hint that more arrests are imminent as the SIT prepares its next report for the Kerala High Court.
Politics Storms the Sanctum
In Kerala, no controversy stays purely legal for long. Politics has entered the temple precincts.
The BJP has seized the issue, accusing the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government of shielding corrupt officials behind “procedural excuses.”
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister and BJP leader, has called for a CBI or Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe, describing the case as “a theft not just of gold, but of public faith.”
Protests led by the Mahila Yuva Morcha have intensified outside Devaswom offices. The BJP is positioning the scandal as a symbol of systemic corruption in temple administration — a theme that could shape Kerala’s political narrative in the months ahead.
TDB’s Defence: Damage Control in Disarray
Caught in the storm, Travancore Devaswom Board President P.S. Prasanth admitted to “procedural lapses” but denied any complicity by the current board.
He promised strict action against officials under scrutiny, including Deputy Devaswom Commissioner B. Murari Babu, while urging restraint, saying that “unverified claims could politicize the temple and disrupt the pilgrimage season.”
However, critics argue that the TDB’s defense lacks credibility.
If oversight was truly effective, how did key records disappear?
And why were idols transported out of Kerala without proper authorization?
These questions remain unanswered — buried under bureaucratic evasions and institutional silence.
Faith and Accountability Can No Longer Diverge
The Sabarimala gold case isn’t just about missing metal — it’s about eroding morality in sacred spaces.
When donations made in devotion become tools of deceit, it signals a spiritual and administrative crisis.
The Kerala High Court’s intervention has been timely, but real change requires structural reform:
- Transparent digitization of temple finances
- Regular independent audits
- Stronger oversight of sponsorship-based renovations
Temples, which thrive on trust and devotion, must operate with the same — or higher — standards of accountability expected of public institutions.
The Road Ahead: Restoring Gold Is Easy, Restoring Faith Is Hard
The arrest of Unnikrishnan Potti marks only the beginning.
For millions of devotees preparing for the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage, this scandal is a painful reminder: even the holiest places are not immune to human greed and negligence.
The gold of Sabarimala may one day shine again — but restoring faith will take much longer.
As the investigation deepens, Kerala faces a crucial choice: will this scandal become another buried controversy, or will it ignite a new era of accountability in temple administration?
