A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has named seven accused individuals, including former Travancore Devaswom Board president PS Prashanth, in a gold theft case.
The findings suggest a systemic cover-up involving high-ranking officials at one of India's most prominent pilgrimage sites. The investigation centers on the alleged theft of gold used for cladding temple idols at the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala.
According to the SIT interim report, gold cladding on the idols was removed and replaced with copper [1]. This copper plating eventually wore off, exposing the loss of the original gold. The report said this substitution was a deliberate attempt to hide the disappearance of the precious metal [1].
Among the seven individuals named as accused in the report is PS Prashanth, who previously led the Travancore Devaswom Board [2]. The SIT is investigating the roles these individuals played in the removal of the gold, and the subsequent efforts to conceal the crime [2].
The investigation into the Sabarimala temple irregularities continues as officials seek to determine the full extent of the gold loss. The SIT has focused its efforts on the discrepancies between the recorded assets of the temple and the physical state of the idols [1].
Authorities have not yet released a final timeline for the theft, but the interim report marks a shift toward criminal proceedings against former administration members [2].
“Gold cladding on idols was removed and replaced with copper.”
The naming of a former board president in the SIT report indicates that the investigation has moved beyond simple theft to examine institutional corruption. By alleging a calculated replacement of gold with copper, the SIT is suggesting a sophisticated effort to deceive auditors and the public, which may lead to broader legal repercussions for the temple's previous administrative leadership.
