In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing Sabarimala Temple gold-plating scam, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Kerala High Court has arrested B. Murari Babu, the former administrative officer of the shrine. Murari Babu was taken into custody from his residence on Wednesday night and questioned at the Crime Branch office in Thiruvananthapuram.
According to reports, Murari Babu — who served under the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) — has been named in two separate FIRs concerning the disappearance of gold used to adorn the temple’s Dwarapalaka (guardian) idols and the sanctum door frames (Sreekovil). The missing gold was part of a massive renovation project intended to enhance the temple’s sacred features.
Investigations have revealed that in 2019, contractor Unnikrishnan Potti, who was assigned the gold-plating work, allegedly passed off gold-clad plates as copper, leading to a massive discrepancy in records. Murari Babu reportedly forwarded Potti’s proposal to the Devaswom Board, claiming the plates were copper — a move now under serious scrutiny by investigators.
The SIT suspects a well-planned conspiracy spanning from 2019 to 2024, involving manipulation of official documents and collusion between temple officials and contractors. The Kerala High Court earlier described the case as a “betrayal of temple sanctity” and directed the SIT to conduct a detailed probe into all aspects of the alleged malpractice.
Murari Babu is expected to be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate’s Court in Ranni, Pathanamthitta, where the SIT will likely seek custody for further interrogation. Officials are also examining whether key records were tampered with to conceal the theft.
The arrest marks a turning point in the high-profile case, placing the spotlight on the Travancore Devaswom Board’s administrative practices and accountability in temple asset management. The SIT’s investigation is expected to widen, with teams planning to trace gold movements to Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad as part of the probe.
Authorities have confirmed that the ongoing investigation will focus on tracking the gold sheets, panels, and decorative elements removed or replaced, verifying the quantity of gold missing, and determining whether proper temple accounting procedures were followed during the plating process.
As the case unfolds, it raises larger questions about transparency and governance in temple administration — a reminder that spiritual institutions must also uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability.
