The Kerala High Court has directed a preliminary vigilance enquiry into alleged misappropriation of gold and funds connected with the 2017 installation of the Sabarimala temple’s flag mast (kodimaram). The order comes amid ongoing scrutiny over financial irregularities and missing gold linked to various temple projects, including the broader Sabarimala gold controversy.
A Division Bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K.V. Jayakumar on 9 February 2026 instructed the Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to form an inquiry team. The team is to examine records, financial documents, mahazars and material accounts, and record statements from devotees who donated gold for the mast’s construction. The Court has mandated that the vigilance report be submitted within 30 days.
Official records show that 9.161 kg of gold was purchased from the Customs Department in March 2017, and an additional 412 grams was donated by devotees for the project. However, discrepancies emerged between the total gold available (9,573.01 grams) and the amount recorded as used (9,340.2 grams). The absence of proper individual donor receipts and poor documentation raised concerns about possible procedural lapses and violations of financial accountability rules.
The High Court noted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) already handling other gold theft cases at Sabarimala should not be burdened with this enquiry, prompting the separate vigilance probe. The SIT is simultaneously allowed to continue its advanced scientific testing on gold samples from temple structures.
In response to the Court’s directive, former Temple Board member Ajay Tharayil has denied any misappropriation, asserting that accounts were properly maintained and submitted before the High Court.
Political reactions have surfaced as well, with opposition parties using the issue to criticize ruling party governance, adding to the developing controversy around temple asset management.
This order marks a significant judicial intervention in the long-running Sabarimala gold saga, expanding scrutiny beyond idol and door-frame related investigations to include the temple’s flag mast project.
News as reported
