Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday carried out searches at 21 locations across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu as part of its money laundering investigation into the alleged gold loss at the Sabarimala temple, officials said.

The raids, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), targeted premises linked to the main accused Unnikrishnan Potti in Bengaluru, former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar in Kerala, and several jewellers.

The federal agency had registered the PMLA case on January 9, following multiple FIRs filed by the Kerala Police. The matter is also being investigated by a state Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the Kerala High Court.

Officials said the case involves alleged administrative lapses, official misconduct, and criminal conspiracy to misappropriate gold from sacred artefacts at the Lord Ayyappa shrine. The allegations pertain to gold from gold-cladded copper plates used in the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).

Preliminary findings suggest that gold-clad artefacts were falsely recorded as “copper plates” in official documents and were illegally removed from the temple premises between 2019 and 2025. The gold was allegedly extracted using chemical processes at private facilities in Chennai and parts of Karnataka, with the proceeds of crime concealed and transferred.

ED officials said the searches aim to trace illicit funds, identify beneficiaries, seize incriminating documents and digital evidence, and determine the full scale of the alleged money laundering. The probe has also flagged suspected financial irregularities at Sabarimala, including misappropriation linked to temple offerings and ritual expenses.