The Kerala High Court on Monday observed that the alleged misappropriation of gold from the guardian idols and door frames of the Sabarimala temple appeared to have been carried out in a systematic and well-planned manner. The remark came while the court was reviewing a detailed progress report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case.
The SIT placed before the court its findings along with a chemical analysis report prepared by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), which played a key role in uncovering discrepancies in the gold cladding used at the temple.
Scientific tests reveal tampering
As per earlier court directions, samples collected from the original plates were sent to VSSC for scientific examination. The purpose was to determine the actual quantity of gold used during the cladding work carried out in 1998.
The tests were also meant to verify whether the copper plates had been replaced or tampered with, and whether the original gold-coated plates were removed and substituted with freshly plated ones. After examining the analysis report, the court noted clear differences between the original and replaced plates.
Key differences found in gold-coated plates
According to the court’s observations:
- The original gold-coated plates did not contain nickel or acrylic polymer layers. In contrast, the later-added copper plates showed the presence of nickel, absence of mercury, and clear acrylic polymer coatings.
- These findings strengthened the suspicion that the original gold cladding had been removed and replaced in a calculated manner.
The High Court granted permission to the SIT to visit Sabarimala on Tuesday to carry out further measurements. The team has been allowed to measure the surface area of two door frames stored in the temple storeroom, which will help calculate the total quantity of gold used on door frames and Prabhamandalam plates.
The bench expressed satisfaction with both the methodology adopted by the SIT and the progress of the investigation so far. The matter is scheduled to come up for further hearing on February 9.
