The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has ramped up its investigation into the alleged money laundering aspect of the Sabarimala gold robbery case. Coordinated raids were carried out at 21 sites in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. So far, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested 13 individuals, all of whom are now in judicial custody.
The ED teams targeted the residences of key suspects, including Unnikrishnan Potti, Murari Babu, A. Padmakumar, N. Vasu, a Bellary-based gold trader named Govardhan, and Pankaj Bhandari, the CEO of Chennai-based Smart Creations. Searches also took place at the Travancore Devaswom Board headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Notably, no search has been conducted at Tantri Kantarar Rajeevar’s residence yet.
An Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) has been filed by the ED to investigate the alleged laundering of proceeds from the crime. The focus of the probe includes tracing the source of funds, money movements, and potential asset concealment. If disproportionate assets are uncovered, property attachment procedures may ensue.
The SIT, under the Kerala High Court’s oversight, is conducting a parallel criminal investigation into the gold removal from the Sabarimala temple. Scientific examinations are ongoing to establish the conspiracy and methods behind the gold’s disappearance. The SIT is collaborating with scientists from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre to analyze the gold plates and discrepancies between the original and later-plated layers.
