In a significant development in the high-profile Sabarimala gold theft case, law enforcement agencies have made two more crucial arrests. The latest individuals taken into custody include a jeweller from Bellari and the Chief Executive Officer of a Chennai-based company.
New Arrests Expand the Investigation Net
The arrests mark a widening of the probe into the audacious heist of gold from the famed Sabarimala temple. These two new suspects are believed to have played key roles in either handling or facilitating the disposal of the stolen precious metal. Their detention on December 19, 2025, brings the total number of people apprehended in connection with this case to seven.
Previous Arrests and Key Figures
Prior to these latest detentions, the investigation had already netted several important individuals. Those previously held include Malayali Unnikrishnan Potti, a Bengaluru-based individual, and two former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), A. Padmakumar and N. Vasu.
Additionally, four former employees of the TDB, the administrative body that manages the Sabarimala temple, were also arrested. The involvement of former board presidents and employees has sent shockwaves through the state, raising serious questions about security and oversight at one of Kerala's most revered pilgrimage sites.
Implications and Ongoing Probe
The case revolves around the theft of a substantial quantity of gold, an offering from devotees, from the temple's premises. The sequential arrests, starting from former officials to now individuals in the jewellery trade, suggest a methodical investigation tracing the path of the stolen gold from the temple to potential markets.
The arrest of a Bellari jeweller and a Chennai CEO indicates the alleged inter-state dimensions of the crime. Bellari in Karnataka and Chennai in Tamil Nadu are major hubs for gold trade and refining, pointing to the possible channels used to melt, recast, or sell the stolen temple assets.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact quantity of gold stolen or the estimated value, but the breach of trust and the sacred nature of the property have made this a deeply sensitive issue. The investigation is being closely monitored, with expectations of more details and possibly further arrests as the probe delves deeper into the network behind the heist.
