THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Former TDB chief PS Prasanth on Thursday said he feared impending arrest in connection with the ongoing probe into the case related to gold theft in Sabarimala and alleged that the move was “politically motivated”.
In a detailed Facebook post, former Travancore Devaswom Chairman Prasanth claimed that the board he headed, which had been working “honestly and transparently” and helped bring to light the 2019 Sabarimala gold theft case, has now been made an accused in the case.
The Special Investigation Team is investigating two cases related to missing gold from Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil door frames at Sabarimala temple after they were electroplated in 2019.
The SIT recently told the court that it was also investigating a similar electroplating operation carried out in 2025, when Prasanth was the TDB chief.
He added, “We have received information that arrests could occur at any moment. Needless to say, political pressure from the current government is behind this step.”
Prasanth said he would fully cooperate with the investigation being conducted under the supervision of the Supreme Court, while revealing what he described as the political motives behind the action.
According to him, the controversy concerns the removal of the Dwarapalaka sculptures from the Sabarimala temple for repair in 2025.
He claimed that the Devaswom Board did not suffer any financial loss and that the amount of gold present in the sculptures had actually increased after the restoration.
He rejected allegations that the sculptures were taken for repair without informing the Special Commissioner for the Protection of those involved in the alleged 2019 gold theft case, describing the charge as “strange.”
“The process of rectifying defects in the temple doors, door frames and Dwarapalaka sculptures began months before its board assumed office, based on proposals made by the Sabarimala executive officer,” he said.
After assuming office in November 2023, the board received repeated complaints from temple staff that cracks in the sculptures caused injuries while cleaning the sanctum sanctorum after abhishekam ghee, leading to bloodshed in front of the shrine and creating ritual impurity.
“Based on these complaints, the council directed officials in March 2024 to initiate legal action,” he added.
When the relevant file was presented to the board in September 2024, officials proposed handing over the sculptures to a sponsor of an electroplating business in Chennai.
“However, the council instead ordered Devaswom officials, in the presence of the Vigilance Wing, to move the sculptures and supervise their restoration and reinstallation,” he added.
Prasanth maintained that at no time did the council receive any report from the Vigilance Wing or Devaswom officials indicating any violation related to the sculptures.
He said the statues were removed in the presence of Thiruvabharana commissioner, vigilance officials and other authorities.
He added, “Their weight and gold content were recorded in the quarry, the entire process was videotaped, and the sculptures were transported under official supervision.”
He admitted that the special commissioner had not been informed before the sculptures were removed, but described that as an “omission” by officials rather than the council.
After the restoration, the sculptures were reinstalled in the presence of the tantri temple, special commissioner and vigilance officials, and their weight and gold content were found to have increased, without any financial loss to Devaswom, Prasanth claimed.
He said the previous LDF government and the then Devaswom Council had sought a probe by a special investigation team based on the findings of the Supreme Court.
Prasanth claimed that although the board had provided all the records sought by the court and the special investigation team, he was now an accused due to political pressure.
He said that he did not feel any regret over the council’s decision to repair the sculptures, and insisted that this was done to remove impurity in front of the Holy Mosque and not to benefit anyone.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
