ED Expands Sabarimala Gold Loss Probe, Raids 21 Locations Across 3 States

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has widened its probe into the Sabarimala alleged gold loss case , conducting multi-state searches on Tuesday across Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as part of a money laundering investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) . Officials said around 21 locations were raided, including premises linked to the main accused Unnikrishnan Potti in Bengaluru, the former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar in Kerala, and certain jewellers and intermediaries suspected to be part of the alleged chain.

The case centres on allegations of misappropriation and loss of gold from sacred artefacts at the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala , a matter that has become both religiously significant and politically sensitive in Kerala. Investigators suspect a combination of official misconduct, administrative lapses, and an organised criminal conspiracy that enabled gold to be unlawfully removed from temple assets over several years. The allegations include loss of gold from gold-cladded copper plates , particularly those linked to the ‘Dwarapalaka’ guardian deity idols , as well as the door frames of the ‘Sreekovil’ , the sanctum sanctorum.

According to the ED’s preliminary findings, the alleged irregularities occurred over a long period, between 2019 and 2025 . The agency claims that certain gold-clad temple artefacts were deliberately misrepresented in official records as mere “copper plates” , which may have helped in moving them out of the temple premises with reduced scrutiny. The investigators believe that once removed, the gold was extracted through chemical processing methods at private facilities allegedly in Chennai and parts of Karnataka turning sacred temple material into proceeds of crime . Officials said the generated funds were allegedly retained, transferred and concealed , which is why the case has now moved into a money laundering framework.

The ED formally registered its money laundering case on January 9, 2026 , taking cognisance of a clutch of Kerala Police FIRs . Parallelly, the criminal investigation remains with a Kerala Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) functioning under the supervision of the Kerala High Court , adding judicial oversight to the probe. SIT-related findings have indicated that the suspected siphoning may have links to the replating/electroplating process , with certain gold-clad plates reportedly handed over as early as 2019 , and investigators also suggesting that the scale of gold loss could be higher than initially recorded.

ED officials said the latest searches are aimed at tracing illicit funds , identifying beneficiaries , and seizing incriminating documents and digital evidence to establish the complete money trail. The agency has also indicated that its investigation has thrown up signs of broader financial irregularities and scams at Sabarimala, including alleged misappropriation connected to temple offerings and ritual-linked funds.

With the SIT continuing its criminal probe under court monitoring, and the ED now aggressively following the financial trail across states, the case has entered a sharper phase—one that could determine not only who physically removed the gold , but also who ultimately benefited from the alleged conversion of sacred material into hidden money.