Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed that the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and side frames of the Sabarimala temple be conducted under its direct and continuous supervision to ensure a fair, transparent, and expeditious process.
A division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and K.V. Jayakumar interacted in-camera with officers heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the court, and directed it to investigate the larger conspiracy behind the temple gold theft case.
The SIT was set up by the court early this month and given six weeks to complete the probe. It was also instructed to apprise the court of the progress in the investigation.
The bench on Tuesday observed that court monitoring was necessary “in a matter of such sensitivity where passion runs high”, to ensure the inquiry proceeds without fear or favour.
The SIT, which has registered two separate FIRs and arraigned 10 people as the accused, with sponsor Unnikrishnan Potti as the first accused, submitted its progress report, which revealed that the two cases had been registered under Sections 403, 406, 409, 466, and 467 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the preliminary investigation report submitted, evidence suggests that a conspiracy was indeed behind the gold theft, which was meticulously planned based on calculations regarding the gold offerings, including the Dwarapalaka sculptures provided in 1998 by Vijay Mallya.
The accused reportedly believed that replacing the gold with painted replicas would prevent detection.
The court noted that perfunctory mahazars had been prepared when the gold was handed to craftsman Potti and that Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials, though aware of irregularities, had remained silent.
The report also cited an email from Potti seeking the Board’s consent to utilise 409 grams of gold—extracted from gold-clad side frames—for the marriage of a poor girl, prompting the registration of another case.
The SIT informed the court that Potti has been arrested and additional arrests are expected.
Appreciating the progress of the probe so far, the Bench nevertheless directed the SIT to investigate the larger criminal conspiracy behind the misappropriation.
Observing that the extended custody of gold with Potti, improper weighing, and misclassification of idols as copper plates indicated complicity at multiple levels, it ordered the SIT to examine the role of each TDB official “from the highest echelons downwards” and to determine whether the 2025 entrustment of the idols was part of an effort to cover up the 2019 pilferage.
The bench also ordered the seizure of the TDB’s Minutes Book and related records, directing that all materials be kept in the custody of the Registrar General.
The matter will be heard next on November 5.
(IANS)
