Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Oct 24 – P S Prasanth, president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), expressed complete satisfaction with the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the gold loss from the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala. He expressed hope for the recovery of the lost gold and the punishment of those responsible.

Prasanth stated that the SIT’s investigation is progressing effectively, and the TDB has full confidence in the team’s efforts. He made these remarks during an interview with a television channel.

He revealed that the recently arrested former administrative officer, B Murari Babu, intended to hand over the gold-plated copper claddings of the ‘Dwarapalaka’ (guardian deity) idols to Bengaluru-based businessman Unnikrishnan Potty for gold-plating. Prasanth clarified that the Board has not issued any orders favoring Babu or Potty.

Babu sought to transfer the claddings to Potty for gold-plating based on a warranty provided by Potty during similar work in 2019. Prasanth noted that Babu claimed the Board would incur significant financial losses if the gold-plating was done by another party. Consequently, the Board sought permission from the thanthri, who allowed the claddings’ removal for electroplating in Chennai, but not for the door frames or other claddings.

Prasanth criticized the media and the Congress-led opposition for holding the current Board accountable for events from 2019. He dismissed allegations of accumulating disproportionate wealth, asserting that his assets amount to only a few lakhs. He challenged V D Satheesan, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, to disclose his own assets in light of his calls for the dissolution of the current Board.

Babu, who was suspended by the TDB amid the gold disappearance controversy, was arrested by the SIT on Thursday and is now in judicial custody. He faces charges in two cases related to the missing gold from the Dwarapalaka idols’ gold-clad plates and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple.

In 2019, when Potty proposed electroplating the Dwarapalaka idols to the TDB, Babu forwarded the proposal, asserting that the gold-cladded plates were made of copper. He reportedly submitted a similar proposal from Potty again in 2025. Babu was serving as Deputy Devaswom Commissioner in Haripad at the time of his recent suspension.

The SIT, directed by the Kerala High Court, has already arrested Potty as part of its investigation into the gold loss, which came to light when the High Court initiated a plea regarding the removal of the Dwarapalaka idols’ claddings for gold-plating without prior notification to the court.