KOCHI: On Monday, the Kerala High Court directed a thorough investigation into serious irregularities tied to the gold-cladded/plated copper coverings of the Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala temple.

It has formed a special investigation team (SIT) led by H Venkatesh, ADGP (law and order), to conduct the probe. The Court further specified that S Sasidharan (IPS), assistant director (administration), KEPA, Thrissur, will carry out the inquiry under Venkatesh’s oversight. The SIT has been directed to complete its work swiftly—in any case, within six weeks.

A division bench of Justices V Raja Vijayaraghavan and K V Jayakumar issued the order after reviewing an interim report submitted in sealed cover by the chief vigilance and security officer (superintendent of police) of Sabarimala, as part of a preliminary inquiry. During the hearing, the bench also engaged with the chief vigilance and security officer, who appeared in court in person. Having read the interim report and heard the explanations, the court concluded that a more detailed investigation was required concerning the gold-plated copper coverings of the idols located on either side of the sanctum sanctorum.

The SIT must probe the actions of Unnikrishnan Potti, who had sponsored the gold plating, along with the involvement of officials from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

Should There Be Tighter Controls on Temple Administration to Avoid Such Controversies?

In the course of the inquiry, the chief vigilance and security officer produced a letter from the manager (finance) of McDowell & Company Ltd., United Breweries Group, addressed to the secretary of the TDB. The letter laid out the gold-plating work done at Sabarimala, including precise figures for the gold used in the Sreekovil’s cladding.

According to this letter:

• 1,564.190 g (1.564 kg) of gold was applied for the two Dwarapalakas, and

• 30,291 g (30.291 kg) of gold was used in total for the entire gold-cladding project, following traditional methods.

The Court observed that this document conclusively established that the Dwarapalakas handed over by the devaswom board to Potti had already been clad with 1.564 kg of gold, and so could not have been mere “copper plates”.

The court also flagged a troubling discrepancy: the recorded weight dropped by about 4.5 kg when the items were returned after gold plating in 2019. This was deemed a matter of extreme gravity. It noted that the earlier suspicion—that the items refixed at the Sannidhanam were a different set of copper plates—now seemed “fully justified”. The court added that there was a distinct and grave possibility that the original gold-clad Dwarapalakas had been disposed of for substantial monetary consideration.

Moreover, an email from Potti to the TDB president—written after the reinstallation of the gold-plated coverings in 2019—was also taken on record. In that email, Potti requested permission to use the remaining gold in his possession post-project for a girl’s marriage. The court called this revelation “deeply disturbing”, saying it laid bare the scale of misconduct and “unmistakably demonstrated the alarming manner in which certain devaswom officials had acted in concert with Potti, betraying both the sanctity of temple property and the trust reposed in them by devotees.”

The controversy surfaced when a report submitted on September 9 by the Sabarimala special commissioner stated that the gold-plated copper coverings of the Dwarapalaka idols had been removed without prior judicial approval and moved to a facility in Chennai, again without permission. Following a detailed examination, the bench noticed **discrepancies of 4.541 kg in the weight of the copper coverings refitted after the 2019 gold-plating process.

To assist the SIT, the court ordered the state government to make available the services of inspector Aneesh (Vakathanam police station, Kottayam), inspector Biju Radhakrishnan (Kaippamangalam police station, Thrissur Rural), and Sunil Kumar, assistant sub-inspector (Cyber police station, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram). The case was adjourned to Friday, with the expectation that the final vigilance inquiry report would be submitted by then by the chief vigilance and security officer.

What Prompted the High Court to Step In?

On September 9, the Sabarimala Special Commissioner told the division bench that the gold-plated copper coverings of the Dwarapalaka idols had been taken away without advance notice. The items were reportedly sent to Chennai for maintenance, diverging from standard practice, which customarily mandates repairs to be done on temple premises under tight supervision.

This action violated explicit orders the Court had made in 2023, when repairs to ornaments on Lord Ayyappa’s idol were performed without informing the Special Commissioner. At that time, the Court had instructed that any such activity must be communicated in advance to the Special Commissioner.

The backstory further reveals that in 2019, Chennai-based jewellery firm Smart Creations carried out the gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols under a 40-year warranty. When defects appeared six years later, the TDB sent the items back to the same firm for repair, covering costs through Unnikrishnan Potty, the original sponsor.

On September 9, the Court pressed the rationale for sending the valuables to Smart Creations and ordered that further repairs be stopped and that the items be returned to the temple immediately. As the investigation unfolds, previously hidden gold-plating records and unexplained losses continue to emerge.

How Were the Irregularities Uncovered?

The roots of the controversy go back decades. In 1999, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) arranged gold-plating for the Dwarapalakas at the temple entrance. The project was funded by Vijay Mallya, UB Group chairman, who donated 30 kg of gold. An expert tied to that work stated that five kilograms of gold were used solely for the Dwarapalaka idols, with the rest used for other temple elements.

Two decades later, Potty sought and obtained TDB’s approval to finance the gold-plating of the temple’s idols and valuables himself. Yet, when the handover documents were drawn up, they omitted any mention of the 1999 gold coating. Instead, they described the items as being clad in “copper plates.”

When the items were transferred to Chennai for further work, the vigilance officer was absent. The Dwarapalaka idols reached Smart Creations, Chennai after 39 days for gold plating. After completion, a glaring issue emerged: the gold-covered copper plates returned showed an unexplained loss of 4.54 kg. Despite this shortfall, TDB reportedly proceeded to entrust Potty with the gold-replating work again that year.

During the 2025 process, the court detected fresh discrepancies. Potty proposed to the TDB that electroplating—which uses less gold—was superior to traditional methods. Initially, the commissioner in charge of sacred ornaments disagreed, noting in July that Smart Creations was not equipped to remove existing gold plates. But a month later, after discussions with Potty, he changed his position and supported electroplating.

The court also highlighted that TDB had breached its own guidelines, which mandate that repairs be done within the temple premises. Moreover, it reiterated that when the items were handed over to Potty for transit, the vigilance officer was not present.

Who Is Unnikrishnan Potty?

The role of Unnikrishnan Potty has become central and contentious in the court’s view. The bench described him as “a person with questionable antecedents”, one who appeared to hold an undue influence within TDB.

Originally from Srirampuram, Bengaluru, Potty had once worked as an assistant to the temple priest at Sabarimala. Over time, he coordinated darshan for VIPs from South India, including business figures and film personalities. Even after he ceased direct association with Sabarimala, he continued sponsoring temple projects. He is also accused of leveraging his access to build ties with prominent politicians, civil servants, and senior police officers.

Potty claimed a set of missing Dwarapalaka idols was housed in the temple’s strong room, but when the chief vigilance and security officer searched, they could not be located. Later, these idols were found at the house of Potty’s sister in Thiruvananthapuram.

Further, he is reported to have hosted a pooja in Chennai in July 2019. Following the revelations, actor Jayaram said he had attended that event at Potty’s invitation.

TDB Official Suspended Amid Allegations

In response to the growing controversy, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has suspended B. Murari Babu pending investigation. Babu allegedly filed a report on June 17, 2019, when he served as Sabarimala Administrative Officer, in which he incorrectly recorded the gold-plated Dwarapalaka sculptures—on both sides of the shrine—as being clad in copper plates.

At a meeting convened by the Board, Babu’s action was deemed “a serious lapse.” He currently holds the post of Deputy Devaswom Commissioner, Haripad.

Speaking to the media, Babu defended his record. He said he denoted the sculptures as copper because their base metal was copper, which had then been plated with gold. He argued:

“If I had recorded it as gold, it would mean the entire material was gold, which it was not. The processes were all followed properly. I had given only a preliminary report, based on which higher officials and technical experts arrived at the final decision. As an employee in the service of the Devaswom Board for the past 30 years, I accept this action.”

Sabarimala Gold Plating Row: Travancore Board Cracks The Whip - TDB acts, suspends senior official - Action on DY. Devaswom commissioner - Officer under suspension pending inquiry@ArpithaAja10359 shares more details with @ShreyaOpines pic.twitter.com/10G2GSJy9c — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) October 7, 2025