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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday launched a coordinated search operation across three southern States as part of its investigation into alleged money laundering linked to the misappropriation of gold-plated copper artefacts and other valuables from the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The Kochi Zonal Office of the ED carried out raids at 21 locations spread across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka on January 20, 2026.

The action has been initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, following a series of FIRs registered by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted on the directions of the Kerala High Court. The SIT has pointed to a deep-rooted conspiracy involving officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), private contractors, middlemen, and jewellers.

Roots Of Alleged Scam

The controversy surrounding the famed hill shrine surfaced publicly in 2019, but investigators say the alleged irregularities date back more than two decades. According to the SIT, extensive gold plating works were first undertaken at Sabarimala during 1998–99, laying the foundation for what later became a prolonged pattern of misappropriation.

In 2019, several idols weighing 42.8 kg were removed from the temple for repairs. When they were returned, officials found that the weight had dropped to 38.2 kg, pointing to a deficit of nearly 4.5 kg of gold. This discovery triggered scrutiny into the repair and re-plating process.

Questionable Repairs & Record Manipulation

Investigators revealed that guardian deity idols and other temple components were sent to a private firm in Chennai for re-plating. The Kerala High Court later flagged this as a serious violation of temple customs, noting that such work is traditionally carried out within temple premises.

The Travancore Devaswom Board allegedly compounded the issue by recording gold plates as copper in official registers. The SIT described this as a grave administrative lapse. By comparing old and recent photographs, investigators concluded that gold plating had been systematically removed from idols, doors, steps, and intricately carved sections of the shrine.

Trail Leads Beyond Kerala

While the probe found no evidence suggesting tampering with the main idol of Lord Ayyappa, the SIT concluded that gold was chemically extracted from the plates at the Chennai-based firm. The extracted gold was allegedly re-plated in smaller quantities and diverted through intermediaries to a jeweller in Ballari, Karnataka.

The ED’s latest raids are aimed at tracing the financial trail of these transactions, identifying proceeds of crime, and uncovering the money laundering network behind the alleged diversion of temple gold.

Arrests & Ongoing Probe

So far, 11 persons have been arrested in connection with the case. Those taken into custody include contractor Unnikrishnan Potti, a Ballari-based jeweller, the owner of the Chennai firm involved in the re-plating work, and three CPI(M) leaders, including former MLA A. Padmakumar. The chief priest of the temple was also arrested earlier during the course of the investigation.