Devotees throng Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple.
Credit: PTI Photo
The 'missing gold' case from the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple has taken a decisive turn with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the case following Kerala High Court order arresting Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potti. The SIT also held former administrative officer B Murari Babu in this connection.
Here is a timeline of events in the case relating to disappearance of gold from the gold-clad plates of the Dwarapalaka idols and the door frames of the sanctum sanctorum of the famous temple situated in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district.
Gold or copper?
Unnikrishnan Potty proposed electroplating the Dwarapalaka idols in 2019. Chennai-based gold plating firm entrusted with the repair works of the guardian idols at the sanctum sanctorum of the temple revealed that the panel given for plating by Potti in 2019 were copper.
Faded gold
Both Thiruvabharanam Commissioner and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) smith had noted that the gold plating on the temple’s idols and pedestals had faded in 2024.
Potti gets tender again
Potti, who did the work in 2019 is entrusted with the work again six years later.
Court intervention
The Kerala High Court directs TDB to bring back from Chennai, the gold-plated copper sheets fitted above the Dwarapalaka idols.
Weight drop
Kerala HC points out that the weight of the gold plated copper cover came down by 4.541 kgs after it was taken to Chennai for gold plating by Potti.
Potti in the dock again
Portions of the gold plated cover of the pedestal of the idols are recovered from the house of Potti's relative in Thiruvananthapuram.
SIT probe ordered
Kerala High Court ordered a detailed investigation by a special investigation team to probe the gold theft.
SIT arrests the duo
Potti as well former administrative officer B Murari Babu have been arrested in this connection. Babu had recorded the gold plated panels of the dwarapalaka idols and door frames as copper in records while handing over those to Potti in 2019 and 2025 for gold plating.
Wider probe
With Babu's arrest, the probe is likely to expand to more officials of the TDB that manages the temple. The present board chairman P S Prasanth is also likely to come under scanner as it is suspected that the decision to hand over the plating to Potti for maintenance this year was taken as per his instruction.
More people under scanner
Potti, who is now in SIT custody, is learnt to have maintained that his role in the gold looting was very minimal and he only acted as per the instruction of the main conspirators. As a result, at least three more persons from Bengaluru are under the scanner of the SIT.