Overview

• TDB Vigilance traced the gold-plated plaques and a peedam to a residence of sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty’s relative near Thiruvananthapuram, with SP Sunil Kumar leading the recovery and shifting the items to Sabarimala.
• The Kerala High Court mandated a detailed, confidential investigation led by the TDB Chief Vigilance Officer with a retired district judge, directing verification of strongroom items and scrutiny of registers.
• The bench noted a roughly four‑kilogram difference between the 42.8 kg recorded in 2019 and 38.258 kg later produced, and criticized missing mahazars and absent entries for fixtures such as dwarapalakas and peedams.
• TDB President P. S. Prasanth said procedures were followed and cited an SP report, contending the weight change reflects copper rather than gold, and the Board plans to file its report and seek court directions.
• Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan alleged a possible conspiracy after the items surfaced at the donor’s kin’s home, while the sponsor claimed a worker held the peedam before it was moved to the relative’s house.