Murari Babu, former TDB officer and a key accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, has died in Kochi at 54. He was undergoing cancer treatment. Babu was accused of manipulating temple records and was the first TDB official arrested in the case.
Murari Babu, former administrative officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and accused in the high-profile Sabarimala gold theft case, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi. Babu breathed his last on Friday. He was 54 and had been undergoing treatment for cancer for the past three months.
According to family sources, Murari Babu, a native of Changanassery in Kottayam district, breathed his last after his health condition deteriorated in recent weeks. His last rites are scheduled to be performed later in the day at his residence in Perunna.
The Sabarimala Gold Theft Case
Murari Babu had been under scrutiny in connection with the alleged theft of gold from the Dwarapalaka sculptures and the threshold panel situated in front of the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala temple. The case, which triggered widespread attention across Keralam, involved allegations of the manipulation of temple records and the replacement of gold plating with copper during restoration-related activities.
Investigators had claimed that Murari Babu was among the key officials responsible for creating forged documentation in the process linked to the temple assets.
Arrest and Bail
He was arrested on October 21 in connection with the case and became the first official of the Travancore Devaswom Board to be taken into custody in the investigation. However, he was later granted statutory bail by the Kollam Vigilance Court after the investigating agency failed to file the charge sheet within the stipulated 90-day period mandated under law.
Career in Temple Administration
Murari Babu's career in temple administration began after he joined the Travancore Devaswom Board in 1997. Before that, he had briefly undergone police training in 1994 as a constable recruit in Kannur, but later shifted his professional path.
He initially worked as an assistant to a senior official on the board before serving as a clerk at the Ettumanoor temple. Over the years, he rose through various administrative positions, eventually becoming the Administrative Officer of Sabarimala.
His death marks the end of a controversial chapter linked to one of Keralam's most closely watched temple-related criminal investigations. Further details regarding the case proceedings are awaited.
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