Overview
- The Enforcement Directorate searched 21 locations in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, including the Travancore Devaswom Board headquarters and premises linked to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti, former TDB chief A. Padmakumar, N. Vasu and jeweller Govardhan.
- Officials said the PMLA case was registered on January 9, and the ED seized documents, digital evidence and a 100‑gram gold bar while freezing eight immovable properties of the prime accused worth about Rs 1.3 crore.
- The Kerala High Court directed the SIT to carry out a fresh on‑site inspection at Sabarimala, including measuring door panels, collecting samples and recording statements from VSSC scientists after reviewing the scientific report.
- The VSSC report submitted to the court found reduced gold quantity and purity and identified layer mismatches on replated components, including the presence of nickel and acrylic polymer not seen in the original 1998 cladding.
- Investigators allege sacred artefacts were falsely recorded as copper between 2019 and 2025 and that gold was chemically extracted at private facilities in Chennai and Karnataka, with 13 accused so far in judicial custody, including the temple’s chief priest and former TDB officials.