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Sabrimala Gold Theft Case: The court has ordered the SIT to submit the interim investigation report on January 19.
SIT is investigating Sabrimala gold theft case. (PTI/File)
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday got a six-week extension by the Kerala High Court to its investigation into the Sabarimala gold theft case. As per the court’s orders, SIT is now required to submit the interim investigation report on January 19.
Earlier this week, the SIT told Kerala HC that more gold was looted from the temple than the initial findings. As per the report submitted by SIT, seven gold-clad copper plates, apart from the earlier Dwarapalaka idols and door frame, were stolen in a similar manner.
As per the initial investigation, the gold was extracted using a chemical mixture at Smart Creations in Chennai, owned by the ninth accused, Pankaj Bhandari, and is in the possession of him and Govardhan Roddam of Roddam Jewellers in Karnataka.
On November 26, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) detained A. Padmakumar, former Sabarimala Executive Committee President and CPM Pathanamthitta District Committee member, in connection with the Sabarimala sanctum gold heist case.
Padmakumar, who also served as the former Konni MLA, was taken into custody following the approval of the SIT’s custody request by the Kollam Vigilance Court. The court had previously remanded Padmakumar for 14 days.
Sabarimala Gold Theft Case
The Sabarimala gold controversy revolves around allegations of discrepancies in the gold plating at the Sabarimala temple. This issue originated from a 1998 donation by industrialist Vijay Mallya, who contributed 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper for the cladding of the sanctum sanctorum and the wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.
Kerala, India, India
January 05, 2026, 16:33 IST
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