Kerala HC Reviews SIT Report on Sabarimala Gold Heist, Names Seven Accused Including Board President and Chief Priest

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court reviewed a Special Investigation Team report on the theft and misappropriation of gold from Sabarimala’s Dwarapalakas, naming seven accused and directing expeditious completion of the investigation.

A Division Bench of the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam, comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar, on 29 June 2026 reviewed a detailed report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the theft and misappropriation of gold from the gold-clad Dwarapalakas at Sabarimala. The SIT report, placed before the court pursuant to directions issued on 18 June 2026, identifies seven persons against whom overwhelming material has been collected, including the President of the Travancore Devaswom Board, the Chief Priest of Sabarimala, and the sponsor who initiated the transportation of the Dwarapalakas to Chennai. The court directed the SIT to proceed with utmost expedition and listed the matter for 20 July 2026.

The Dispute Before the High Court

The proceedings arise from a suo motu action initiated by the court on 21 October 2025 in SSCR No. 23/2025, registered in connection with what the cause title describes as the “heist and plundering of gold from the gold-cladded Dwarapalakas placed on either side of the Sreekovil, Sabarimala.” The matter was converted into WP(C) No. 40608 of 2025.

The Dwarapalakas are sacred figures flanking the inner sanctum at Sabarimala. According to the SIT report, they were originally clad with gold in 1998. The controversy centres on what happened when they were transported to Chennai in 2019 at the request of one Sri. Unnikrishnan Potty, and again in 2023 when a second transportation was arranged under the guise of fresh gold plating.

Respondents in the writ petition include the State of Kerala, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer of the TDB, the State Police Chief, and the Senior Deputy Director of the Kerala State Audit Department. The State and police respondents are represented by Special Government Pleader Sri. S. Sreekumar (Sr.) and Standing Counsel Sri. G. Biju appears for the TDB respondents.

What the SIT Found: The 2019 Transportation and Gold Removal

The SIT report, submitted by Sri. S. Sasidharan, IPS, Investigating Officer, sets out a sequence of events beginning in 2019. When permission was sought to transport the Dwarapalakas from Sannidhanam to Chennai, TDB officers deliberately described the gold-clad figures as copper plates in official records. The court noted that this misdescription was made with malicious motive to conceal the true nature of the objects.

At Chennai, the original gold cladding was removed. Only a minimal quantity of gold was used for replating; the balance was misappropriated by the accused. A certificate was then issued falsely warranting that the new gold plating would last forty years. Within months, the plating deteriorated and the underlying copper surface became visible.

The SIT found that when the deterioration became apparent, the accused realised that the inferior replating would expose the 2019 misappropriation. This prompted a second criminal conspiracy: to transport the Dwarapalakas to Chennai once more, ostensibly for fresh gold plating, but in reality to conceal the earlier theft.

The 2023 Conspiracy and Induction of the Board President

The report discloses that on 13 November 2023, immediately after a newly appointed President of the Travancore Devaswom Board assumed office, Sri. Unnikrishnan Potty managed to gain his confidence and induced him to exercise his authority in furtherance of the conspiracy. The sponsor, together with Sri. Pankaj Bhandari, proprietor of Smart Creations, Chennai (the firm that had carried out the original replating work), entered into a criminal conspiracy with officers and employees of the TDB.

Board members who were entrusted with protecting and preserving Devaswom assets facilitated the decision to transport the Dwarapalakas to Chennai a second time. The court recorded that this was done despite full awareness that such action was contrary to the Devaswom Manual and to specific directions issued by the court itself in SSCR No. 13 of 2023, and despite knowing that the purpose was to conceal the earlier misappropriation.

The SIT further found that officers and members of the Board were aware, from communications exchanged with Sri. Unnikrishnan Potty, that he continued to hold the balance gold extracted during the 2019 replating. Board Orders issued and decisions taken collectively reveal that named officers and some Board Members had knowledge of the misappropriation and, rather than taking corrective action, actively colluded in facilitating the removal of the Dwarapalakas and concealing the theft.

Seven Persons Against Whom Overwhelming Material Has Been Collected

The SIT report identifies seven individuals against whom it says overwhelming material has been gathered:

1. Sri. Murari Babu, Executive Officer, Sabarimala
2. Sri. Unnikrishnan Potty, the sponsor
3. Sri. Pankaj Bhandari, proprietor of Smart Creations, Chennai
4. Sri. P.S. Prashanth, President of the Travancore Devaswom Board
5. Adv. A. Ajikumar, Member, Travancore Devaswom Board
6. Sri. Kandararu Rajeevaru, Chief Priest (Thantri), Sabarimala
7. Sri. Rejilal, Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, Travancore Devaswom Board

The SIT has concluded that the acts committed by these persons, acting in concert pursuant to a premeditated criminal conspiracy, disclose offences including criminal breach of trust, forgery, and criminal conspiracy, punishable under Sections 316(2), 316(5), 336(2) and 61(2) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The court directed the SIT to initiate stringent action under the BNSS and to ensure that the final report is laid as expeditiously as possible.

Further Persons Under Probe

The report also identifies a second group whose roles are still being probed in detail. These include Sri. Sundareshan, then a Member of the Board; Smt. Bindhu, Secretary of the TDB; Sri. Mahesh Mohanararu, Thantri; Smt. Sunila, Thiruvabharanam Commissioner; Sri. O.G. Biju, Executive Officer; Sri. Sreenivas, Administrative Officer; Sri. Hemanth, Assistant Executive Officer; Sri. Pandurangaiah Naga Govardhan, a jeweller based in Ballari; and Sri. V.S. Rajendra Prasad, who served as Executive Officer during 2020.

The court directed that if, during investigation, sufficient material is gathered disclosing their involvement, the SIT shall take appropriate action in accordance with law, including the filing of additional reports if warranted.

Expert Analysis Pending; Two Crime Numbers Under Investigation

The SIT informed the court that analysis reports in respect of samples forwarded to the National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur, and to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre are yet to be received. Additional time was sought to complete the investigation after receipt of those expert reports.

The court noted that two crime numbers are under investigation. In Crime No. 3701/CB/CU-IV/TVPM/D/2025, the SIT informed the court that investigation has been completed and only the filing of the final report remains. In Crime No. 3700/CB/CU-IV/TVPM/D/2025, the court directed the SIT to carry the investigation forward and, if materials so warrant, either register a fresh crime in respect of transactions relating to 2025 or file a further report in that crime number.

Order

The Division Bench directed the SIT to proceed with utmost expedition and diligence, ensuring that the investigation is carried to its logical conclusion and that no aspect of the matter remains unexplored. The court stated that every endeavour shall be made to ensure that no stone is left unturned in unearthing the truth and bringing all those found responsible to justice in accordance with law.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on 20 July 2026.