Kerala: ED files money laundering case in Sabarimala gold loss probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday registered a money laundering case in connection with the alleged loss and misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala, official sources said.

The Kochi zonal office of the federal agency has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED’s equivalent of an FIR, under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The move marks a significant escalation in the politically sensitive case, which is already under investigation by a state Special Investigation Team (SIT) supervised by the Kerala High Court.

In December last year, the High Court permitted the ED to conduct an independent probe after rejecting objections raised by the SIT over sharing case-related material with the central agency.

The SIT is currently probing two cases linked to the alleged gold loss and has arrested 11 people so far. The most recent arrest was that of Kandararu Rajeevaru , the chief priest of the Sabarimala temple. Other prominent accused include Bengaluru-based businessman and prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar.

According to officials, the ED is expected to examine financial trails, question the accused and may attach assets if it establishes the generation of “proceeds of crime” from the alleged offences.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities, official misconduct and a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate gold from temple artefacts. Investigations have focused on the loss of gold from gold-clad copper plates used on the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the door frames and pillars of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).

The SIT has told the High Court that its probe revealed serious administrative lapses and misconduct by Devaswom officials, from the initial correspondence to the unauthorised handing over of temple artefacts to Unnikrishnan Potty. It has further alleged that Potty, along with Govardhan, Pankaj Bhandari and officials of Chennai-based Smart Creations the firm entrusted with electroplating the artefacts hatched a criminal conspiracy to extract and misappropriate gold from the copper plates.

Sabarimala, one of the most prominent pilgrimage centres in the country, draws millions of devotees annually. The alleged gold loss from its sanctum and associated structures has triggered widespread concern, given the temple’s religious significance and the trust reposed in its administration.

The SIT has claimed that the accused were part of an organised conspiracy and had plans to dismantle other gold-clad items in the Sabarimala Sreekovil to illegally extract gold. The ED’s entry into the case is expected to bring greater scrutiny to the financial dimensions of the alleged offences.