Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: Major Breakthrough as SIT Recovers Stolen Gold from Jewellery Outlet in Karnataka

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 2025 : In a major breakthrough in the Sabarimala gold theft case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has recovered a significant portion of the stolen gold from a jewellery outlet in Bellari, Karnataka.

According to officials, the gold was allegedly handed over by key accused Unnikrishnan Potti to his associate Govardhan, who owns a jewellery store in Bellari. Acting on crucial leads, a team led by Superintendent of Police Sasidharan conducted a raid and seized over 400 grams of gold from the outlet.

In a simultaneous operation, the SIT also recovered several gold coins and about ₹2 lakh in cash from Potti’s residence in Pulimath, Thiruvananthapuram. Potti, who remains in custody until October 30, is currently assisting investigators in identifying the channels through which the stolen gold was moved and concealed.

The investigation has now extended beyond Kerala, with SIT teams visiting Bengaluru, Bellari, Hyderabad, and Chennai to verify Potti’s statements and trace the entire flow of stolen material. On Saturday morning, a three-member SIT team, accompanied by Potti, reached Bengaluru for evidence collection.

Searches are being conducted at multiple locations, including Potti’s residence in Bengaluru, the Bellari site where the gold was allegedly sold, a Hyderabad-based firm involved in repairing the Sabarimala temple’s sanctum door panels, and Smart Creations, a Chennai-based company that supplied gold plating materials for temple works.

Investigators are now examining whether the recovered gold matches the quantity diverted from the temple renovation project. Govardhan, who had previously supplied gold for plating the Sabarimala temple’s sanctum panels, is under close scrutiny and may be questioned further regarding his involvement.

The SIT also plans to record statements of Devaswom Board employees who participated in temple renovation activities, to determine the possible existence of internal collusion.

With these crucial recoveries and new evidence, officials believe the latest findings could serve as the missing link in unravelling the high-profile temple gold theft. So far, the SIT has arrested Unnikrishnan Potti and former top Sabarimala official Murari Babu, and investigations indicate that more arrests are likely soon. The SIT has registered two FIRs in the case, naming ten accused in total.