Former Administrative Officer of Travancore Devaswom Board Passes Away Amid Gold Scam Investigation

Murari Babu, the former Administrative Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board and a key figure in the Sabarimala gold scam, has died at a private hospital due to cancer. His passing comes amid ongoing investigations into allegations of gold theft from the Sabarimala temple. Babu was previously suspended after being named an accused and had faced multiple controversies during his tenure. His funeral is set to take place in his hometown of Perunna. This article delves into his career, the allegations against him, and the implications of his death on the ongoing legal proceedings.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 13, 2026, 11:23 IST

Obituary of Murari Babu

Photo: IANS

Kochi, June 13: Murari Babu, the former Administrative Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board and the second accused in the Sabarimala gold scam, passed away at a private hospital where he was receiving treatment for cancer on Saturday.

He was under investigation for his alleged involvement in the theft of gold-plated panels from the Sabarimala temple's door frames and the sculptures of the guardian deity, known as 'Dwarapalaka'.

Originally from Perunna in Changanassery, he succumbed to cancer at Amrita Hospital.

The funeral service is scheduled to take place at his home in Perunna at 3 pm on Saturday.

A Special Investigation Team was looking into claims that gold-plated panels taken from Sabarimala were misappropriated.

After being named as an accused, Murari Babu was suspended from his position and during interrogations, he stated that the mislabeling of gold panels as copper was based on a letter from the temple priest.

Born into a humble family, he began his career as a police constable in 1994 but left before completing his training.

In 1997, he joined the Travancore Devaswom Board and advanced through various roles, working at significant temples such as Ettumanoor, Vaikom, and Thirunakkara.

The Vigilance wing had accused him of amassing wealth worth crores during his time at the TDB, despite holding a low-ranking position.

Investigators also examined the construction of a luxury residence on his ancestral land in Changanassery.

His tenure was marred by several controversies, including alleged irregularities in elephant contracts during temple festivals and cases of missing gold and silver items from temple grounds.

He faced scrutiny over his management of a fire incident at the Ettumanoor temple and for approving the installation of gold-plated ornaments without proper authorization.

Despite a High Court ruling against assigning employees with allegations to sensitive roles like Sabarimala, Murari Babu was appointed as the Administrative Officer there.

The Vigilance also discovered that he had allegedly engaged with a private firm regarding gold-plating work on the Dwarapalaka sculptures without notifying the Devaswom Board.

His passing occurs while investigations and legal actions related to the Sabarimala gold cases are still ongoing.