Sabarimala gold-plating row: SIT suspects damage claims were fabricated to nullify warranty
Pathanamthitta, Kerala: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged gold-plating scam at Sabarimala Temple has reportedly uncovered crucial information suggesting that non-existent defects may have been cited in the report to justify re-gilding the temple's Dwarapalaka (entrance idols) panels last year.
According to reports, investigators suspect that the 2025 gold-plating work involved a larger conspiracy and more extensive document manipulation than the irregularities reported in 2019. The SIT believes efforts may have been made to ensure that a warranty issued by Chennai-based Smart Creations could not be invoked.
Investigators suspect that if the warranty became invalid, the gold-plating work could be carried out at the expense of Unnikrishnan Potti. A report submitted to a Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) meeting is said to support suspicions that such a plan had been discussed.
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On September 4, Smart Creations reportedly issued a 40-year warranty certificate in the name of Unnikrishnan Potti. The certificate carried Potti's Bengaluru address and did not mention either TDB or Sabarimala. The document also reportedly stated that the warranty would not apply if there was physical damage to the panels or if chemical substances had been used for cleaning.
The SIT is examining why panels gilded in 2019 allegedly developed cracks within three years, while gold-plated panels installed in 1998 by Vijay Mallya reportedly remained intact until 2019.
The officials are also scrutinising a report prepared ahead of last year's gold-plating work, which stated that nickel had become visible on the panels. According to the SIT, the appearance of nickel could indicate the use of chemical substances, potentially making the warranty void.
Based on the available records, SIT officials suspect that both the reported cracks and the alleged chemical treatment may have existed only in official files and documentation rather than on the actual panels.
Following revelations about the 2019 irregularities after the Global Ayyappa Sangamam event, the TDB, led by then president P.S. Prashanth, reportedly excluded Potti from the 2025 gold-plating work and carried it out independently.
The SIT is also examining why information relating to Potti was allegedly withheld despite concerns reportedly being raised about his role in the matter.