Sabarimala gold plating controversy: TDB questions electroplating firm officials

Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance and Security Wing of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Thursday recorded the statements of officials from Smart Creation, a Chennai-based firm responsible for the electroplating of gold-clad plates on the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala.

The move is part of a preliminary investigation ordered by the Kerala High Court into the mysterious reduction in the weight of the idols following their electroplating.

According to officials, two representatives from Smart Creation, including its CEO Pankaj Bhandari, appeared before investigators at the TDB office in Thiruvananthapuram to provide their statements. The firm had carried out the electroplating work in 2019 and 2025.

Earlier, the vigilance team had also questioned Unnikrishnan Potty, who had sponsored the electroplating in 2019.

A report is set to be submitted to the High Court on Friday, after which a Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the court will officially commence its probe. The court had ordered the formation of the SIT amid suspicions of a conspiracy and potential criminal misconduct surrounding the weight discrepancy.

Protests erupt across Kerala

The controversy has sparked widespread political protests, particularly by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which held demonstrations in multiple district headquarters across Kerala on Thursday.

Protests in Kozhikode and Kasaragod turned violent, prompting police to use water cannons to disperse crowds. Similar protests were held in Kollam and Alappuzha, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan and the dismissal of the current TDB panel.

PTI