The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) administrative officer S Sreekumar, who is named as an accused in the alleged theft of several kilograms of gold from the Sabarimala temple during a repair project.

Justice A Badharudeen passed the interim order, which will remain in force until the matter is taken up again on Friday, November 28. The petition was argued by Advocates Renjith Marar and Keshav Raj Nair on behalf of Sreekumar.

Background: Gold missing from Sabarimala temple’s sacred structures

The case concerns the disappearance of gold from the copper plate coverings of the Dwarapalaka idols and door frames of the Sabarimala temple. The missing gold was detected after the plates were measured following repair and restoration work.

The prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, had obtained permission to sponsor the repair works. Investigators allege that he misappropriated around 4 kg of gold that had been removed from the copper coverings during the process. When officers measured the plates after the repairs, the discrepancy became evident.

A portion of the missing gold was later reportedly recovered from the residence of Potti’s sister during a search by authorities.

SIT suspects wider conspiracy

Sreekumar is listed as the sixth accused in the case. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted as per the High Court’s directions, is probing whether more individuals within the Travancore Devaswom Board were involved in the alleged malpractice.

During earlier hearings, a Division Bench of the High Court had remarked that certain Devaswom officials may have enabled or facilitated Potti’s actions. The Bench had also instructed the SIT to examine whether provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 apply to any of the officials implicated.

Following these directions, both Unnikrishnan Potti and TDB President and CPI(M) leader A Padmakumar were arrested. They remain in judicial custody.

Interim protection for Sreekumar: What it means

The interim order shields Sreekumar from immediate arrest, giving the court time to examine the merits of his plea. Interim protection is typically granted when the court finds that custodial interrogation may not be urgently required or when the accused has cooperated with the investigation so far. The SIT will present its next status update on November 28, when the court will revisit the matter.

Legal observers note that the High Court’s ongoing oversight underscores the seriousness with which the judiciary is treating allegations involving sacred temple property and the accountability of officials tasked with safeguarding it.

Public and institutional implications

The alleged theft has raised important questions about oversight mechanisms within temple administration, particularly in institutions managing vast quantities of precious metals and donations. Sabarimala, one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in the country, sees lakhs of devotees each year, and transparency in the management of temple assets remains a critical public concern.

If the SIT concludes that corruption or collusion among officials occurred, it may result in stronger procedural safeguards being introduced by the Travancore Devaswom Board to prevent future lapses.

Conclusion

The Kerala High Court’s decision to grant interim protection to S Sreekumar marks a key development in the ongoing investigation into the Sabarimala temple gold theft case. As the SIT continues its probe and the matter returns to court on November 28, further clarity is expected on the involvement of various accused persons and the larger implications for temple administration in Kerala.