Former Sabarimala Official Arrested in Gold Theft Investigation

Arrest of Former Administrative Officer

On Wednesday, a special investigation team (SIT) apprehended S. Shrikumar, a former administrative officer of the Sabarimala temple, in connection with an alleged gold theft case. Shrikumar was in charge when gold plates were reportedly taken from the Ayyappan temple and later returned. He is the seventh individual to be arrested in this ongoing investigation. The Kerala High Court had previously denied his bail application, stating that the charges against him had been substantiated. His arrest followed a summons for questioning at the SIT office.

Implications for Other Officials

Following Shrikumar's arrest, there are concerns regarding the potential arrest of S. Jaishree, the former secretary of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Her anticipatory bail plea was also rejected. The court indicated that granting bail to both suspects could hinder the investigation into the gold theft from the temple, rendering it ineffective. The court noted that both Shrikumar and Jaishree were aware that the plates were originally gold-plated, yet they signed documents claiming they were made of copper.

Ongoing Investigation by the SIT

The SIT, appointed by the court, is investigating two cases involving missing gold-plated doors and statues of the temple guardians. So far, the SIT has arrested seven individuals, including two former TDB presidents and leaders from the CPM, A. Padmakumar and N. Vasu. Unnikrishnan Potty is identified as the main accused, and Murari Babu, a former official of the board, has also been taken into custody. In 2019, when Potty proposed to gold-plate the statues, Babu allegedly misrepresented the proposal to the board, claiming the gold-plated items were made of copper. Reports suggest that Potty submitted a similar proposal to the board again in 2025.