The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned actor Jayaram for questioning in connection with the Sabarimala gold “loss” case linked to a money-laundering investigation.

Reports indicate he has been asked to appear before the agency next week. The Kerala Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) had earlier questioned him in Chennai.

A video showing Jayaram and alleged prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti performing a puja together was reportedly the basis for the SIT questioning. The actor had denied any wrongdoing and said he had no links with the company involved in replating gold-clad temple artefacts or its sponsors.

The ED is also in the process of summoning Potti. He recently secured bail from a Kollam court in a related case being probed by the SIT and was released from Thiruvananthapuram sub-jail on Thursday.

Replating approval and alleged gold diversion

Potti had approached the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) seeking permission to replate gold-clad artefacts, which was approved in 2019. The artefacts were subsequently taken to a Chennai-based firm where gold plating work was carried out.

The Kerala Police SIT, the primary investigating agency, has claimed gold was diverted from these artefacts during the replating process.

ED action, frozen assets and wider probe

Earlier this week, the ED questioned former TDB administrative officer Murari Babu and S Sreekumar in the case. Sreekumar was again questioned on Friday, and searches were conducted last month.

In a January 21 statement, the ED said it froze eight immovable assets worth Rs 1.3 crore belonging to Potti and seized a 100-gram gold bar from premises linked to Smart Creations in Chennai.

The agency registered a PMLA case on January 9 based on two Kerala Police FIRs. The politically sensitive case is also being investigated by a state SIT under Kerala High Court supervision.

The probe concerns alleged irregularities including official misconduct, administrative lapses and a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate gold from artefacts at the Lord Ayyappa shrine.

According to the ED, sacred gold-clad artefacts — including Dwarapalaka idol components, peedams and sanctum sanctorum door frame panels — were allegedly misrepresented in official records as “copper plates” and removed from temple premises between 2019 and 2025.

These items were transported to private facilities in Chennai and Karnataka, including Smart Creations and Roddam Jewellers, where gold was allegedly extracted through chemical processes under the guise of repair and replating work.

“The extracted gold and related assets constitute proceeds of crime, which were retained, transferred and concealed by the accused persons,” it said.

The investigation has also indicated possible additional financial irregularities and “scams” linked to temple offerings and rituals at Sabarimala, the ED had claimed.