Sabarimala gold theft case: How the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, stole gold from temple idols

Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft, made substantial profits through fraudulent means after submitting a request to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in 2019. He sought permission to gold-plate the Dwarapalaka idols and the Sreekovil door frames at the Sabarimala Temple. During the investigation, it was revealed that Potti exploited this opportunity for personal gain, leading to his arrest. The Bengaluru-based businessman was taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) after a lengthy 12-hour questioning. He has been remanded until October 30 and moved to a police facility in Pathanamthitta.

Here's how did Potti get the gold

In 2019, Potti received the Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil frames after approval from the Devaswom Board. However, instead of conducting a legitimate electroplating process, Potti transported these items to various locations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh with the help of corrupt board officials who violated temple regulations.

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The gold-plating was carried out by Smart Creations, but Potti secretly extracted gold from the sacred idols and door frames. While he re-plated a small amount of gold, he kept the rest for himself. He also hid the frames under the alias "Pooja" to continue his financial deception. The Kerala High Court recently observed that the weight of the gold-clad Dwarapalaka idols decreased from 42.8 kg to 38.2 kg, confirming the theft. The SIT is now looking into a possible larger conspiracy involving the theft of the gold. Potti remains in SIT custody, where the court has ordered a daily medical check-up for him during his detention period.

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