Accused conspired to steal more gold from Sabarimala temple: SIT

The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, in a report to the Kerala High Court on Monday, said key persons arrayed as accused in the case conspired to steal more gold from the temple, including from the gold-plated Dwarapalaka idols and the door frame of the sanctum sanctorum.

Three accused held a secret meeting in Bengaluru after the case came up for hearing in the High Court in October 2025. The three – prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti, Bellari-based jeweller Govardhan and Pankaj Bhandari, CEO of Chennai-based Smart Creations, where the idols were taken for gold plating — discussed the possible course of action in case they were implicated in the case, in a bid to destroy evidence. All this was confirmed based on their cellphone records, the SIT says in the report.

Yet another finding is the connivance of officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in the alleged misappropriation of gold from the temple. The report says that all criminal activities were part of a large conspiracy and organised crime conducted by the accused. They had a larger plan to dismantle other gold-clad items of the Sreekovil and misappropriate the gold.

It also says the accused TDB officials, having a clear knowledge that the temple’s door frames were gold-clad, with dishonest intention referred them as copper plates, even in the mahazar. Such acts by the officials were tantamount to official misconduct, thereby abetting and aiding Mr. Potty and others to misappropriate the gold taken to Smart Creations.

The SIT made these submissions while opposing the bail plea of Mr. Govardhan. It said that he was aware of the gold-plating works done on the sanctum sanctorum. There was need to additionally ascertain his role in the case, for which his custody was needed.

The matter was posted for hearing on Thursday by a Bench of Justice A. Badharudeen.

The SIT in the report claimed the alleged misappropriation of gold at the temple occurred between 1998, when gold-cladding works were done by UB Group, and September 2025, when the Dwarapalakas were sent to Smart Creations for gold plating. The SIT collected samples from the original plates at the Sannidhanam, and their scientific tests were being conducted at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.