Investigation – Kerala High Court Pushes Sabarimala Gold Probe as Former TDB Chief Arrested

Investigation –The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has intensified its inquiry into the alleged Sabarimala temple gold misappropriation case after the Kerala High Court directed investigators to speed up the ongoing probe. Acting on the investigation, officials on Thursday took former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth into custody from his residence in Thiruvananthapuram. The development comes as the agency moves closer to completing one of the key investigations connected to the case.

Court Directs Faster Progress in Investigation

The arrest follows recent submissions made by the SIT before the Kerala High Court, where investigators informed the bench that the final report in one of the two registered cases would be filed within the next 30 days. According to the agency, scientific examination of temple artefacts played an important role in understanding the sequence of events and identifying how the alleged offence may have been carried out. The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for September 3, while investigators are also examining whether a third criminal case should be registered.

Background of the Former Devaswom Board President

P.S. Prasanth previously served as a Congress leader before joining the CPI(M) after losing the 2021 Kerala Assembly election. He was later appointed president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, the statutory authority responsible for managing several temples across southern Kerala, including the Sabarimala temple. His arrest marks another significant development in the ongoing investigation, with two former TDB presidents, both associated with the CPI(M), having already faced arrest in the same broader matter before obtaining bail.

Multiple Cases Linked to Missing Gold

The SIT has registered two separate cases related to the alleged disappearance and misuse of gold from temple artefacts. Several individuals named during the investigation were earlier arrested but later secured statutory bail after charge sheets were not filed within the legally prescribed period. Authorities have also confirmed that one accused person has died during the course of the investigation. Officials are expected to question and possibly detain two additional members of the administrative team that worked during Prasanth’s tenure.

Restoration of Temple Sculptures Under Scrutiny

Questions surrounding the restoration of the temple’s Dwarapalaka, or guardian, sculptures became a major point of controversy during Prasanth’s period as TDB president. The issue led to repeated rounds of questioning by the SIT. Investigators have been examining whether procedures followed during the transportation and restoration of the sculptures had any connection with the alleged gold misappropriation or other administrative irregularities.

Prasanth Rejects Allegations

A few hours before his arrest, Prasanth published a detailed statement on Facebook defending his actions. He claimed that he had been named as an accused not because of any wrongdoing, but because his administration helped expose the alleged gold theft that surfaced in 2019. He described the action against him as politically motivated and stated that he had anticipated being taken into custody.

Prasanth maintained that the decision to send the Dwarapalaka sculptures to Chennai for restoration was made solely to address ritual concerns after the damaged structures reportedly caused injuries to temple workers during maintenance. He further argued that the restoration process did not result in any financial loss to the Devaswom Board and asserted that both the weight and gold content of the sculptures had increased after restoration.

He also denied any conspiracy, stating that the failure to inform the Special Commissioner before relocating the sculptures was an administrative lapse by officials rather than a decision taken by the Board. According to Prasanth, his administration had fully cooperated with both the Kerala High Court and the SIT by submitting records and documents that ultimately helped bring the alleged Sabarimala gold misappropriation case into public attention.