Sabarimala gold case: ED raids in Kerala, TN, Karnataka; former Devaswom officers among accused
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Tuesday launched coordinated raids at 21 locations across India in connection with the controversial Sabarimala gold theft case, marking the agency’s first major action since registering a money laundering case earlier this month.
Search operations were carried out at the headquarters of the Travancore Devaswom Board and at the residences of several accused, including Unnikrishnan Potty, Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, A. Padmakumar, Murari Babu and N. Vasu. Visuals aired by television channels showed ED teams conducting searches in multiple places across Kerala, including Kochi, Angamaly, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram.
According to officials, teams from the ED’s Delhi unit were deployed in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to execute the simultaneous raids. Searches were also conducted at the office of Smart Creations in Chennai, at Unnikrishnan Potty’s residence, and at jewellery establishments linked to accused Govardhan in Bengaluru.
The agency registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in the first week of January under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following allegations of misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. The case relates to the alleged theft of gold from the temple’s door frame and the Dwarapalaka idols.
The investigation has witnessed a turbulent trajectory. Initially handled by the State Crime Branch, the probe was later transferred to a Special Investigation Team appointed by the High Court after widespread political criticism of the state government’s handling of the case. The ED had begun preliminary inquiries as early as October last year after possible money laundering angles emerged.
Officials said further action would depend on the outcome of the searches and the financial trails uncovered during the ongoing operations.