In the Sabarimala gold theft case, the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, has been granted bail in the case related to the ‘Dwarapalaka’ (guardian deity) idols. The Kollam Vigilance Court approved his bail plea after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a chargesheet within 90 days of his arrest, making him eligible for statutory bail.
Despite getting bail in one case, Unnikrishnan Potti will not be released from jail immediately. He is still required to secure bail in the separate case related to the gold-plated door frames of the sanctum sanctorum. Only after bail is granted in that matter will he be able to walk free.
ED conducts searches across three states
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into the case. On Tuesday, the agency carried out searches at around 21 locations across Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The searches are linked to the alleged misuse of gold and other assets of the Sabarimala temple.
Premises connected to Unnikrishnan Potti in Bengaluru and locations linked to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar were also searched.
SIT reaches temple for fresh inspection
At the same time, the state-run Special Investigation Team has reached the Sannidhanam, the sanctum area of the Sabarimala temple. With permission from the Kerala High Court, the team will measure the gold sheets used in temple structures and collect samples as part of its ongoing investigation.
According to the ED, the searches are aimed at tracing the flow of money, identifying beneficiaries, and collecting documents and digital evidence linked to the alleged laundering of funds. The central agency recently registered a PMLA case based on multiple FIRs filed earlier by the Kerala Crime Branch.
Allegations of long-running irregularities
Investigators believe the case involves a deep-rooted conspiracy stretching from 2019 to 2025. It is alleged that gold-clad sacred artefacts were wrongly recorded as copper in official documents and then removed from the temple. The gold was reportedly extracted using chemical processes at private facilities in Chennai and parts of Karnataka.
Apart from the gold theft, agencies have also found signs of other financial irregularities linked to temple offerings and rituals. These aspects are now being examined under the PMLA framework as the investigation widens.
