NationalTuesday, 30 June 2026·The Hindu - National
Sabarimala gold theft probe cites criminal conspiracy, BNS sections and 2025 gold-plating works
Kerala High Court was told by the SIT that the 2025 Sabarimala gold-plating case involved criminal conspiracy and offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On June 2026, an interim SIT report before the Kerala High Court said the alleged misappropriation of gold from Sabarimala temple during 2025 gold-plating works involved criminal conspiracy and offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Key specifics
- The probe concerns gold-plating works carried out in 2025 at Sabarimala temple.
- The report named P.S. Prashanth, then president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
- Sections cited include 316(2), 316(5), 336(2) and 61(2) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
- The Dwarapalakas were originally clad with gold in 1998.
- The idols were transported from Sabarimala to Chennai in 2019 and again in 2025, according to the report.
Exam lens
Question type: polity-law and temple administration, 1998, 2019, 2025, BNS 2023, TDB, Kerala High Court; TNPSC may ask which legal provisions were invoked in the Sabarimala gold theft probe.