Sabarimala gold theft: Kerala BJP leader K. Surendran calls for Central agency probe

Indicating a lack of confidence in the probe by the special investigation team (SIT) in the gold theft case linked to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, former Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president K. Surendran has demanded an investigation by a Central agency “to nab the real culprits. “

Speaking at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday (January 2, 2026), Mr. Surendran also alleged that leaders of both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) are involved in the theft.

“In the initial stages of the investigation, there was an impression that the SIT was on the right track. However, as they made progress, with the realisation that many big names are involved in the theft, the interventions from the top became stronger. After the SIT questioned former Dewaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, the government is now attempting to scuttle the investigation as they now realise that the fingers could point to the top,” he said.

Mr. Surendran also alleged that changes were made to the SIT to include “two CPI(M) cadres” as part of the team. The arrests till now have happened only due to the High Court’s intervention. The SIT has been reluctant to arrest several Devaswom Board members, including K.P. Sankar Das.

“None of the Congress leaders have been able to provide a convincing explanation for the photograph showing prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti and the Bellari-based jeweller Govardhan with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. Former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, who had earlier raised allegations regarding an industrialist and the involvement of international antique mafia, later became silent. What happened at Sabarimala does not appear to be mere gold theft, but something far bigger, involving antique smugglers,” he said.