The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved the Kerala High Court seeking certified copies of the First Information Reports (FIRs) and First Information Statements (FISs) relating to the alleged gold-theft at the Sabarimala temple, to carry out a money-laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Its request followed a preliminary inquiry suggesting that valuable temple property may have been diverted and converted for personal gain—thereby giving rise to proceeds of crime.
Originally, the ED had approached a Judicial First Class Magistrate in Ranni, Pathanamthitta, demanding these documents. However, the magistrate rejected the request, describing the case as “sensitive” and noting that the investigation was already under the supervision of the Kerala High Court through a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The ED challenged this denial, arguing before the High Court that the magistrate misinterpreted prior judicial orders and wrongly prevented its access to public documents necessary for its statutory mandate, particularly since no legal bar exists on a distinct agency pursuing a separate probe under the PMLA even when another investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, the High Court has taken serious note of the alleged gold misappropriation during restoration of the temple. It constituted a Special Investigation Team to look into discrepancies in the weight of gold-plated artifacts, including the Dwarapalaka idols, striking side-frames, pedestals, and doors. The Court pointed out troubling inconsistencies: according to its records, a substantial quantity of gold—about 474.9 grams—was handed over to Unnikrishnan Potti, the sponsor of the gold-plating work, but there is no evidence that this mass was ever returned to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). On these findings, the Court directed the SIT to investigate whether separate crimes should be registered related to the idols and the lintels. The SIT was further asked to weigh and sample various gold-clad surfaces scientifically to ascertain the actual loss of precious metal.
The High Court also ordered that all further judicial proceedings in the matter be conducted in-camera to maintain confidentiality. In its view, the seriousness of the allegations — including potential criminal breach of trust, forgery, and misappropriation — warranted a detailed, court-monitored investigation without public or media disclosures.
As part of its broader inquiry, the Court instructed the SIT to examine whether provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act apply to TDB officials. This follows observations from the Court about missing entries in the TDB’s minutes book: decisions made in September 2025 regarding repair and re-plating work were not recorded, raising red flags about transparency and process. The Court described this lapse as gravely serious, especially considering the magnitude of the alleged misappropriation of temple gold during restoration.
In its petition, the ED maintained that valuable temple property may have been illicitly diverted with complicity from insiders, and that it is its duty to identify these proceeds and bring them within the ambit of anti-money laundering laws. The agency argued that the magistrate’s denial incorrectly interpreted the High Court’s existing orders, which the ED says do not prohibit it from investigating under a special statute.
The High Court is now set to hear the ED’s plea and decide whether the agency should be granted access to the FIRs and FISs, despite the sensitive nature of the case and ongoing court-monitored investigation.
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