A Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Kerala High Court is intensifying its probe into the Sabarimala Temple gold theft case, conducting searches and questioning individuals in and around Rajapalayam, Virudhunagar district, as part of an extended investigation into the controversial disappearance of temple gold.
The investigation stems from serious allegations that substantial quantities of gold plating from sacred artefacts at the renowned Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple in Kerala were misappropriated during restoration works in 2019 and 2025. The Kerala High Court directed the SIT to investigate thoroughly after discrepancies were identified in the gold-plated items, including missing gold plates that were sent to workshops in Chennai and other cities.
According to local police sources, SIT officers led by a senior DSP Suresh Babu carried out searches at the residence of one Krishna, a Rajapalayam resident, and brought him in for questioning at the Sethur rural police station. The SIT has also asked Krishna to report to its Thiruvananthapuram office for further questioning, though he has denied any connection to the Sabarimala case and claimed no relevant items were found during the search.
The Sabarimala gold theft case has already seen multiple arrests, including former Travancore Devaswom Board officials and other suspects linked to the removal of gold-plated shields from Dwarapalaka idols and panels from the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum). Investigators allege a 4.54-kilogram shortfall in the gold content, raising concerns of misappropriation during restoration and gold-plating work carried out by private contractors.
The SITās extended inquiry into Tamil Nadu locations, including Rajapalayam, reflects a widening probe that now includes questioning potential intermediaries and examining leads suggesting that gold or connected artefacts may have been transferred across state borders. Police have also issued notices to several other individuals to appear before the SIT for questioning in Thiruvananthapuram.