Justice Unveiled: Court Sends Accused Unnkrishnan Potti to SIT Custody in Shocking Sabarimala Artefacts Misappropriation Case
A magistrate’s court in Ranni, Pathanamthitta district, has remanded Unnikrishnan Potti, the primary suspect in the alleged misappropriation of gold-plated copper overlays belonging to the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, to the custody of the High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) until October 30, 2025. During the hearing on October 17, 2025, the magistrate assessed the SIT’s request behind closed doors and allowed Potti a brief 10-minute consultation with his defense counsel.
The SIT presented a detailed remand report to the court, outlining the case’s complexity and emphasizing the necessity of Potti’s custody to drive the sensitive investigation forward. Officials revealed that the High Court mandated confidentiality in the proceedings to prevent media speculation that could sway public opinion and affect the judicial process. Consequently, the SIT submitted the remand report to the magistrate in a sealed envelope.
As part of the investigation, insiders noted that Potti may be escorted to Bengaluru and Hyderabad to trace the convoluted journey of the temple artefacts, which were reportedly taken to a restoration factory in Chennai in 2019. At that time, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) engaged Potti to restore the gilded moulds, originally donated by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998. Notably, it took Potti’s associates 39 days to transfer the artefacts, raising suspicions that they might have replicated the originals and sold them to affluent collectors for private worship.
Sources indicate that various film stars, businessmen, and celebrities across Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu allegedly chartered the religious objects for personal use, purportedly in exchange for substantial cash and gold donations. The SIT aims to explore these transactions, interview individuals who had custody of the artefacts, and investigate any potential criminal actions. The High Court has directed the SIT to hold accountable those profiting from the Ayyappa faith for personal gain.
Moreover, the investigation aims to determine if the suspects secretly melted down the gilded coverings for the gold, subsequently creating copper replicas as a cover for their illicit actions. Reports suggest that the SIT is preparing to summon at least nine TDB officials, including those currently serving and retired, identified as accomplices in the case. Key questions remain about why some TDB personnel certified the gilded coverings as pure copper before their transportation to Chennai for restoration.
In a related development, the Nair Service Society (NSS) has suspended Murari Babu, a TDB official linked to the case, from its primary membership. Babu currently serves as the vice-president of the NSS’s Perunna taluk union, highlighting the growing repercussions of this investigation.
As the probe unfolds, the public and authorities remain vigilant, keenly observing how the case develops and the implications it may have on religious practices and the integrity of temple governance in Kerala. This high-profile investigation continues to gather attention, with significant ramifications for those involved.
Published – October 17, 2025 01:42 pm IST
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/sabarimala-artefacts-misappropriation-case-court-remands-accused-unnkrishnan-potti-to-sit-custody/article70174646.ece
Category : Kerala
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Publish Date: 2025-10-17 13:42:00
