Sabarimala gold loss case: Ex-TDB president, board member arrested by SIT
Former TDB president P S Prasanth and board member A Ajikumar were arrested by the SIT in the Sabarimala gold loss case linked to temple electroplating work
Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 23 (PTI) Former TDB president P S Prasanth and board member A Ajikumar were arrested by the SIT on Thursday in connection with the Sabarimala gold loss case, officials said.
Prasanth and Ajikumar were taken into custody from their residences and shifted to the Kollam Police Club, where their arrests were formally recorded after they were questioned in the evening, sources said.
The Special Investigation Team is probing two cases relating to the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of the Sabarimala temple after they were taken for electroplating in 2019.
The SIT recently informed the Kerala High Court that it was also probing a similar electroplating exercise carried out in 2025, when Prasanth was the TDB president.
In a recent report filed before the Kerala High Court, the SIT said the probe into the alleged pilfering of gold during the September 2025 electroplating exercise had also been clubbed with the Dwarapalaka idol case.
The investigation team told the court that scientific findings received from the National Metallurgical Laboratory had provided fresh insights and a clearer understanding of the alleged modus operandi adopted by the accused in connection with the 2025 transactions.
Last year, the TDB, under Prasanth, apologised to the Kerala High Court for not obtaining the mandatory permission before the Dwarapalaka idols were taken to Chennai-based Smartcreations for electroplating in 2025.
Sources said Prasanth and Ajikumar had been named as accused in the Dwarapalaka gold loss case.
The SIT has thus far arrested 16 people in connection with the case, all of whom were later released on bail.
Prasanth headed the board from 2023 to 2025.
He was formerly a Congress leader before associating with the CPI(M).
Both will be produced before the Vigilance Court as part of the remand proceedings.
Prasanth is the third former TDB president to be arrested by the SIT in the gold loss cases.
The SIT had earlier arrested former TDB president A Padmakumar in both the Dwarapalaka idol and Sreekovil doorframes cases.
Another former TDB president, N Vasu, was arrested in the Sreekovil doorframes case.
Just before being taken into custody, Prasanth posted on Facebook that he feared imminent arrest and alleged that the move was "politically motivated". PTI