Former Travancore Devaswom Board President Arrested in Sabarimala Temple Gold Theft Investigation

Officials are collecting samples from the Dwarapalaka sculpture within the sanctum sanctorum as part of the investigation.

Pathanamthitta: The Special Investigation Team arrested former Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar on Thursday in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. Padmakumar served as Devaswom Board president in 2019, when the alleged gold theft occurred.

His arrest followed an extensive questioning session at the State Police Headquarters that began earlier in the day.

On November 17, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) commenced a scientific examination at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam to further their investigation into the gold theft case. Investigators are gathering samples from both the Dwarapalaka sculpture inside the sanctum sanctorum and the gold-covered wooden door structure.

Earlier, on November 7, the Kerala Crime Branch's SIT apprehended former Thiruvabharanam Temple Commissioner KS Baiju in relation to the same case.

These developments follow the Kerala High Court's authorization for the SIT to perform scientific examinations as part of their ongoing investigation into the alleged theft.

The Sabarimala gold controversy centers on alleged irregularities in gold plating work at the Sabarimala temple. The case originated from a 1998 donation by industrialist Vijay Mallya, consisting of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper, intended for cladding the sanctum sanctorum and wooden carvings at Kerala's Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.

Unnikrishnan Potti, identified as the prime accused, was reportedly taken into custody by the SIT on October 17. The investigating team submitted its second report to the Kerala High Court on Wednesday, revealing significant irregularities in the Travancore Devaswom Board's minutes. According to the report, the record book lacks details regarding the 2019 transfer of the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol to Unnikrishnan Potti.

Additionally, the report highlights that no entries have been made after July 28, 2025, and documentation concerning the transfer of gold platings to Smart Creations is missing from the minutes book. Smart Creations was the firm responsible for electroplating gold-clad copper coverings for the Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple idols. The SIT has now requested permission to conduct scientific investigation to determine the actual weight of the gold-plated idols before and after restoration.