Former Travancore Devaswom Board chief Vasu arrested in Sabarimala gold theft case: Kerala DGP

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Travancore Devaswom Board president N Vasu was arrested in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case, said Kerala Director General of Police Ravada Chandrasekhar.

The state’s top cop confirmed the development as Vasu was questioned earlier by the Special Investigation Team. Vasu is listed as the third accused in the case. On November 7, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Crime Branch arrested former Thiruvabharanam temple commissioner K S Baiju in connection with a gold theft case.

Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, was reportedly taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 17. The SIT, which is investigating the matter, submitted its second report to the Kerala High Court on Wednesday, revealing serious irregularities in the minutes of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

According to the SIT report, the record book does not include details about the transfer of the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol to Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019.

#WATCH | Pathanamthitta, Kerala: Devotees offer prayers as the Sannidhanam Sabarimala Shrine reopens. pic.twitter.com/c9PKZDSxD2

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The Sabarimala gold controversy involves allegations of irregularities regarding the gold plating work at the Sabarimala temple. This situation arose from a donation of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998, intended for the cladding of the sanctum sanctorum and the wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.

Furthermore, the report indicates that no entries have been made after July 28, 2025. It also notes that the documentation regarding the transfer of gold platings to Smart Creations, the firm responsible for the electroplating of gold-clad copper coverings for the idols at the Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple, is missing from the minutes book.

Currently, the SIT has requested permission to conduct a scientific investigation to determine the actual weight of the gold-plated idols before and after restoration. (ANI)