The investigation into the alleged Sabarimala gold misappropriation case is in its final phase, as directed by the Kerala High Court to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to expedite the process. The SIT has committed to submitting the final report for one of the two cases under investigation within 30 days.
All the accused in the case were granted statutory bail due to the delay in filing the final report by the SIT, leading to the unfortunate passing of one of the accused. The SIT’s assurance follows the receipt of scientific examination results, aiding in establishing how the alleged offense transpired.
The case revolves around purported irregularities in the gold-plating of the Dwarapalaka panels at the Sabarimala temple. The High Court has scheduled further hearings for September 3. The SIT has clarified that it is handling two distinct criminal cases stemming from the alleged irregularities, with one case nearing completion and the other still under investigation.
Statements from 54 witnesses have been recorded in the case filed in 2025 concerning the alleged attempt to transport the gold-plated Dwarapalaka panels. The SIT emphasized that scientific examinations have validated critical aspects of the investigation, aiding in reconstructing the sequence of events leading to the alleged crime.
Earlier, the SIT had presented an interim report to the High Court, naming former Travancore Devaswom Board President P. S. Prasanth, the Travancore Devaswom Board, and the Sabarimala Tantri among the accused. The findings suggest a criminal conspiracy in 2019 to conceal the actual quantity of gold used during the gold-plating process.
Allegations include the unauthorized removal and transportation of the panels to Chennai, breaching Travancore Devaswom Board regulations and implicating certain officials in a meticulously planned operation over several years. The case’s significance lies in its association with one of Kerala’s revered temples, sparking concerns about the management of valuable temple assets.
With the SIT’s commitment to submitting the first final report within 30 days, the investigation is progressing towards a critical juncture, almost seven years after the initial irregularities surfaced. The forthcoming final report’s findings are anticipated to shape the prosecution’s future steps in one of Kerala’s highly scrutinized temple-related criminal inquiries.
