Kerala HC orders probe into missing gold from Sabarimala temple
The Kerala High Court has ordered an investigation into a discrepancy of 4.541kg in the weight of gold-cladded copper plates from the guardian (Dwarapalaka) idols at Sabarimala temple.
The plates, which originally weighed 42.8kg when removed for re-plating in 2019, were found to be 4.541kg lighter when finally delivered to a Chennai-based firm—raising serious questions about what happened in between.
Court pulls up Travancore Devaswom Board
The court called out the Travancore Devaswom Board for sloppy record-keeping and secrecy around removing and reinstalling the plates without telling the Special Commissioner.
Now, a top vigilance officer has just three weeks to get to the bottom of whether theft or breach of trust occurred, and if there's any hidden set of idols or pedestals involved.
The court made it clear: full cooperation is expected—any cover-up will be taken seriously—to help restore trust in how temple assets are managed.