The Enforcement Directorate has stepped up its probe into the alleged large-scale misappropriation of gold and other valuables from the Sabarimala Temple, carrying out extensive search operations at 21 locations spread across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The searches were conducted on January 20 by the Kochi Zonal Office of the ED under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, officials said.
The investigation originates from two FIRs registered by the Kerala Police Crime Branch, which pointed to what the central agency has described as a carefully planned and coordinated criminal conspiracy. According to the ED, the alleged scheme involved senior officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board, former temple administrators, private sponsors, and jewellers operating across multiple states.
Preliminary findings of the agency suggest that gold-clad sacred artefacts belonging to the Sabarimala Temple, including components of the Dwarapalaka idols, peedams or pedestals, and decorative panels of the sanctum sanctorum’s door frame, were falsely recorded in official documents as “copper plates.” Using these misleading entries, the artefacts were allegedly removed from the temple without proper authorisation between 2019 and 2025 and sent to private facilities in Chennai and parts of Karnataka.
The ED has alleged that under the guise of repair, restoration and replating work, gold was chemically extracted from these sacred objects at private units such as Smart Creations and Roddam Jewellers. The extracted gold, along with related financial gains, was then allegedly retained, transferred or concealed by those involved. The agency has classified these assets as proceeds of crime under the money laundering law.
In addition to the alleged gold extraction, investigators have flagged wider financial irregularities connected to temple offerings and ritual-related income. These include suspected diversion of funds, losses linked to poor-quality work, unexplained accumulation of assets by certain individuals, and a series of suspicious financial transactions, all of which are now being examined as part of the ongoing probe.
During the searches, the ED recovered a substantial amount of incriminating material, including documents and digital evidence. Officials said these include mahazars and Travancore Devaswom Board records that allegedly misrepresented gold-clad artefacts as copper, thereby facilitating their removal. The agency also seized official recommendations, internal orders and correspondence issued between 2019 and 2024, invoices and payment records related to private jewellers, and warranty certificates linked to chemical extraction and replating activities.
Further scrutiny of the seized material has reportedly revealed indications of systemic irregularities in temple administration, including manipulation of proceeds from rituals and other questionable financial dealings involving certain officials and intermediaries.
As part of its enforcement action, the ED froze eight immovable properties belonging to the prime accused, with an estimated value of around Rs 1.3 crore, under Section 17(1A) of the PMLA to prevent any transfer or dissipation of assets. In addition, a 100-gram gold bar was seized from the premises of Smart Creations in Chennai.
The agency said the documents, digital records and physical assets seized during the searches are now being analysed in detail to assess the full extent of the alleged misappropriation, quantify the proceeds of crime, trace the money-laundering trail and identify other individuals who may have benefited from the suspected Sabarimala Temple scam.
