KOCHI: The operations of Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, bore a disturbing similarity to those of notorious individuals like international smuggler Subhash Kapoor, the Kerala High Court observed on Wednesday, as it cautioned the Special Investigation Team (SIT) about the possibility of temple artefacts being smuggled.
Kapoor was a US-based art thief who smuggled priceless stolen ancient idols, particularly from India, across the globe.
The court also said it was deeply alarming that Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) authorities had been shockingly casual and negligent in permitting an individual of questionable integrity to take measurements and produce replicas of sacred and invaluable temple assets, including the main doors, dwarapalakas, peedams, and other sanctum artefacts.
Such replicas, crafted under the guise of temple work, could easily be sold in international markets at astronomical prices, a well-documented modus operandi of art smugglers and conmen worldwide.
“This bears disturbing resemblance to the operations of notorious figures like Subhash Kapoor, the international temple-art thief, who similarly exploited religious patronage to loot and traffic priceless heritage objects,” the court noted, and directed the SIT to include in its investigation the entrustment of repairs of the sreekovil’s main door to Potti in the first quarter of 2019.
Potti began dubious ops in collusion with TDB officials: HC
A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar issued the order on a suo motu case registered regarding the heist and plundering of gold from gold-cladded dwarapalakas of the Sabarimala temple.
The court said Potti commenced his dubious activities in collusion with certain TDB officials, beginning with the so-called “sponsorship” of gold-plating of the sreekovil’s main door.
“What appears at first glance to be an act of devotion has, on closer scrutiny, all the hallmarks of calculated deceit,” the court said.
The HC directed the SIT to examine whether the facts and circumstances of the present case attract the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against any officers, and, if so, to take appropriate legal action.
SIT asked to conduct detailed check
The court granted the SIT permission to conduct a scientific investigation and ascertain the actual loss of gold in 2019, directing that the tests be completed on or before November 15.
It asked the SIT to weigh the dwarapalaka idol plates and side-pillar plates that were gold-plated in 2019 and 2025, weigh the side-door frame plates and connected plates (whose weights were not recorded at re-installation) that were gold-plated in 2019. It also asked the SIT to take samples of cladded gold and copper plates for verification.
