Twist in Sabarimala gold theft scandal: Chief priest, key figure at temple, arrested

The first phase relates to the gold cladding of various adornments and artefacts in and around the Sreekovil of Sabarimala. (Source: File)

The probe into the alleged theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple artefacts took a curious turn on Friday after the special investigation team arrested temple tantri (chief priest), Kandararu Rajeevaru.

The SIT, which has registered two cases in the scandal, has so far arrested nine persons, all of senior employees of the Travancore Devaswom Board or CPI(M) leaders who headed the board that runs the hill shrine. Rajeevaru is the first from the Tantri clan at the temple to be arrested in the case. His arrest comes at the peak of the ongoing annual festival at the Sabarimala temple.

Police sources claim Rajeevaru allegedly paved the way for the key accused in the case, Unnikrishnan Potty, to work as an assistant to the priests at the temple. Potty, who allegedly took out gold-plated temple items under the pretext of gold covering in 2019 and 2025, had stepped into the shrine in 2007-08 as an assistant.

Later, he hung around the temple, facilitating darshan for VIPs, businessmen and celebrities, before turning up as a self-styled sponsor for gold covering of temple items.

Rajeevaru will be produced before the vigilance court in Kollam, where the case is being considered.

Rajeevaru belongs to the Thazhamon family, whose members have traditionally been priests at Sabarimala. He is the most senior priest from the family and joined the temple in 1995, emerging as a key figure there over the years. In 2024, his son Kandararu Brahmadathan joined as a temple priest.

Early this week, the High Court, which has formed the SIT, said the investigation has been classified into four distinct phases. The first phase relates to the gold cladding of various adornments and artefacts in and around the Sreekovil of Sabarimala. The second phase concerns the replacement of the old gold-clad door of the Sreekovil with a new gold-plated door in 2019. The third phase pertains to the removal of the gold-clad Dwarapalaka idol plates, side plates, and door frame plates in 2019. The fourth covers all transactions relating to the gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idol plates in 2025.

The court had found that gold was surreptitiously removed, replaced, or misappropriated pursuant to a premeditated and concerted design by individuals entrusted with the custody and protection of the deity’s valuables. The next hearing is on January 19.