Sabarimala gold theft: Many ministers will go to jail, says Chennithala

Congress's Ramesh Chennithala claims ministers will be jailed in the Sabarimala gold theft case, after ex-Devaswom Board president N Vasu's arrest. He alleged widespread corruption and demanded accountability from the government.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the Sabarimala gold theft case, alleging that the "true faces" of all the accused are now being exposed and claiming that "many ministers will go to jail" as the investigation progresses. Referring to the recent arrest of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president N Vasu, Chennithala asserted that several more ministers will end up in jail. "The real thieves in the Sabarimala gold theft must be found. The true faces of each person are now being exposed. No one who has played with Lord Ayyappa has ever won. Let us see how many more Devaswom presidents will end up in jail. Many ministers will also go to jail," Chennithala said while addressing the media.

Chennithala Alleges Widespread Corruption

The Congress leader further alleged large-scale corruption and government complicity in the handling of temple wealth. "Those who led the Devaswom Board for the past 10 years must answer. Those who looted all the gold from Sabarimala under the protection of the government must answer. The Chief Minister will have to apologise for everything, one by one," he added.

Investigation Progresses With Key Arrests

The statement follows the arrest of Former Travancore Devaswom Board President N. Vasu, in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case, according to Kerala Director General of Police Ravada Chandrasekhar. The state's top cop confirmed the development as Vasu was questioned earlier by the Special Investigation Team. Vasu is listed as the third accused in the case.

Earlier, on November 7, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Crime Branch arrested former Thiruvabharanam temple Commissioner KS Baiju in connection with a gold theft case. Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, was reportedly taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 17.

SIT Report Flags Serious Irregularities

The SIT, which is investigating the matter, submitted its second report to the Kerala High Court on Wednesday, revealing serious irregularities in the minutes of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

According to the SIT report, the record book does not include details about the transfer of the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol to Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019.

The Sabarimala gold controversy involves allegations of irregularities regarding the gold plating work at the Sabarimala temple. This situation arose from a donation of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998, intended for the cladding of the sanctum sanctorum and the wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.

Furthermore, the report indicates that no entries have been made after July 28, 2025. It also notes that the documentation regarding the transfer of gold platings to Smart Creations, the firm responsible for the electroplating of gold-clad copper coverings for the idols at the Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple, is missing from the minutes book.

Currently, the SIT has requested permission to conduct a scientific investigation to determine the actual weight of the gold-plated idols before and after restoration. (ANI)

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