ED conducts raids at over 20 sites in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu in Sabarimala gold case

ED raids over 20 locations across three states in Sabarimala gold theft case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out coordinated searches at more than 20 locations across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu on Tuesday in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. The raids were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following a case registered after a Kerala police FIR.

In Bengaluru, ED teams searched the Srirampura Ayyappa Temple and the residence of one of its trustees, inspecting documents to track alleged diversion of temple gold. Premises linked to the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, were also raided.

In Ballari district, Roddham Jewellery, suspected to be involved in the theft, was searched. Earlier, the Kerala SIT had arrested the shop’s owner, Govardhan, whose residence was also raided. Additional operations included premises connected to Smart Creations in Chennai.

Raids were also conducted at the residence of Sabarimala’s chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru, former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar, and the TDB headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Around 10 ED personnel were involved in some of the searches.

The case, already under SIT investigation supervised by the Kerala High Court, involves alleged administrative lapses, criminal conspiracy, and misappropriation of gold from the shrine, including the ‘Dwarapalaka’ idols and the door frames of the sanctum sanctorum (‘Sreekovil’).