Sabarimala gold heist: Kerala police to name 11 accused
Kerala Police's Crime Branch has launched a major investigation into the suspected theft and swapping of gold-plated copper artifacts at the famous Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.
The case, filed after a complaint by the Travancore Devaswom Board, is likely to name at least 11 accused—including priest Unnikrishnan Potti, who was contracted for restoration work in 2019.
SIT probing if TDB officials falsely certified artifacts
A Special Investigation Team is looking into whether original gold-inlaid copper claddings—donated in 1999 and containing over 38kg of gold—were secretly replaced with fakes during restoration work in 2019.
After the repairs, some original pieces were later found at Potti's sister's house after being moved across states.
The SIT is also checking if TDB officials falsely certified these artifacts, and political parties are now pushing for a CBI probe as the investigation continues under High Court supervision.