The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the controversial removal of gold plated panels from Sabarimala temple in 2025 has escalated its inquiry by questioning key individuals and scrutinizing procedural irregularities. Former Devaswom Board president, P.S. Prasanth, faced his third round of questioning on Monday as part of the expanding investigation. Ajikumar, a former member of the Devaswom Board, was also interrogated in connection with the case.
The focus of the investigation is on the circumstances surrounding the unauthorized handover of the gold panels to the temple’s tantri without prior approval from the Kerala High Court, a breach of established norms highlighted by the SIT. The issue had sparked a controversy earlier, leading Prasanth to apologize before the High Court. The SIT is now delving into whether the decision to transfer the panels circumvented mandatory oversight procedures and if any undue influence was exerted.
Simultaneously, the SIT has gathered statements from all officials involved in transporting the panels on September 7, 2025, at Sannidhanam and in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating the broadening scope and urgency of the investigation. Attention has also shifted to the role of the current Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, whose testimony is deemed crucial. Initially expressing doubts about the technical capabilities of Smart Creations, the company responsible for the gold plating, the commissioner later submitted a report endorsing the company’s competence, raising suspicions of external pressures affecting official assessments.
With various layers of administrative decision-making under scrutiny, the SIT is anticipated to present its findings in the upcoming weeks, amid mounting demands for increased transparency in the management of temple assets and adherence to judicial directives. In the two separate charge sheets filed by the SIT on the gold scam, 13 individuals were arrested, all of whom are currently out on bail.
