The Vigilance Court in Kollam has put a hold on the bail plea of Unnikrishnan Potty, the latest development in the sprawling Sabarimala gold scam. Potty, who has been behind bars since October 2025, is a key figure in the investigation into the alleged theft of gold from the temple's sanctum sanctorum, including the idols, pillars, and door frames.
While Potty already secured bail in a separate case involving the temple idols, this new plea specifically addresses the theft of gold from the door frames. He is looking for the same relief recently granted to other high-profile accused in the case, including Murari Babu, Sudeesh Kumar, and S Sreekumar.
On the investigative front, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is racing to get its ducks in a row. They are currently seeking formal prosecution sanctions from both the state government and the Devaswom Board— a necessary legal hurdle since the accused are all government and board employees. The team spent much of January at the Sabarimala temple, measuring doors kept in storage and taking samples from gold-cladded plates to figure out exactly how much gold is missing.
To make the charges stick, the SIT has leaned heavily on science. They’ve recorded detailed statements from scientists at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and forensic experts from Thiruvananthapuram. The High Court has already noted that the VSSC’s chemical analysis suggests a "systematic and methodical" theft. Essentially, the reports don't just show that gold is gone; they supposedly reveal the exact "modus operandi" of how the gold was tampered with and substituted over time.
However, it hasn't all been smooth sailing for the investigators. The opposition has slammed the SIT for being too slow, arguing that delays in filing a charge-sheet have allowed several suspects to walk out on statutory bail. Even the High Court has raised eyebrows over the lack of recovery. Of the estimated 4,147 grams of gold allegedly stolen across two crimes, only about 475 grams have been found so far. The court pointed out that the current probe is strangely silent on how the SIT plans to track down the remaining three and a half kilograms of gold.
The SIT is expected to present its next progress report to the High Court on February 9.
Also read: ED quizzes ex-TDB official in Sabarimala gold scam case
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