Finance Desk – The Kerala High Court has ordered a vigilance inquiry into a major controversy at the Sabarimala temple, where over 4 kg of gold worth more than ₹4.3 crore has gone missing from the copper plates covering the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols.
What Happened?
In 2019, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) removed the gold-plated copper plates for re-plating.
Records show the plates originally weighed 42.8 kg.
By the time they reached a Chennai firm, Smart Creations, their weight had dropped to 38.25 kg.
After re-plating, the weight rose only slightly to 38.65 kg, still showing a shortfall of more than 4 kg.
Court’s Observations
A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar called the issue “of the gravest order”.
The judges said the TDB failed to report the discrepancy when handing over the plates.
The court has directed the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer (a Superintendent of Police) to conduct a probe and submit a report within three weeks.
All relevant records and registers must be handed over to vigilance officers.
Why It Matters
The idols were first gold-plated in 1999, and again in 2019, with a 40-year warranty. Yet, defects appeared in just six years, prompting repairs.
Devotee Unnikrishnan Potti, who sponsored the 2019 work, alleged not only missing gold but also the pedestal of the coverings being unaccounted for.
Both Potti and Smart Creations gave explanations, but the court said they were unsatisfactory.
