The probe into the Sabarimala gold theft case reached a significant milestone on Thursday with the arrest of Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, following over ten hours of intense questioning by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) at the Crime Branch office in Thiruvananthapuram.
Potti’s arrest marks the first major breakthrough in the case involving the misappropriation of gold from sacred structures within the Sabarimala temple, specifically, the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) sculptures and the kattilappadi (threshold) of the revered Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).
Two FIRs, Ten Accused
Add Zee News as a Preferred Source
The SIT has registered two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) against Potti, who allegedly removed gold from the temple premises while posing as a legitimate sponsor. In total, ten individuals have been named in the FIRs, with Potti listed as the prime accused in both.
The gold involved in the case is estimated at 475 grams, equivalent to about 56 sovereigns. According to the investigators, while only three grams were actually used for re-plating the temple ornaments, the remaining gold was allegedly siphoned off by Potti. He is also said to have collected funds from two individuals based in Bengaluru under the pretext of carrying out the gold-plating work.
Suspicion Falls On Devaswom Board Officials
The scope of the investigation has now widened, with senior officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board under the scanner for alleged administrative lapses and possible complicity.
The sequence of events began on 16 February 2019, when the then Executive Officer of Sabarimala proposed handing over gold-plated copper sheets from the sanctum structure to Potti for re-plating. However, by the time the proposal reached the Devaswom Commissioner, the wording was altered, referring only to “copper sheets”, effectively omitting any mention of gold.
This crucial change in documentation has placed the Commissioner, Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, and Assistant Engineer under scrutiny, with the SIT considering charges of serious procedural lapses and misuse of authority.
The Devaswom Board itself has been named as the eighth accused in one of the FIRs, further deepening the crisis within the temple’s governing body.
Links To Private Firms And Wider Conspiracy
Investigators have also uncovered Potti’s alleged connections with Smart Creations, a private firm suspected of being involved in the gold plating. A Vigilance report claims the gold used was not sourced from devotees’ offerings, as originally believed, but instead from Bengaluru and Mumbai, suggesting a well-planned procurement route.
Potti, who reportedly has no steady income, is suspected of having planned the misappropriation of up to 2 kilograms of gold through nine separate sponsorship deals. These alleged transactions are now being thoroughly examined for patterns of fraud and insider involvement.
Arrest And Legal Proceedings
Potti was formally arrested at around 2.30 a.m. and taken for a medical check-up before being scheduled for presentation before the Ranni court in Pathanamthitta later in the day. The SIT, led by Superintendent of Police Sashidharan, is now focusing on uncovering the full extent of the conspiracy, including potential collaborators within the temple administration.
With the possibility of corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act looming, and multiple senior officials under the lens, the investigation is expected to send ripples through temple governance structures across the state.
As the case unfolds, attention now turns to who will be named next, and whether this marks the beginning of deeper accountability in the management of one of Kerala’s most sacred temples.
(With inputs from IANS)
