Sabarimala gold loss: Former TDB president P.S. Prasanth denies role
Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth on Thursday (July 2, 2026) denied allegations that the board under his leadership had conspired with Sabarimala gold
Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth on Thursday (July 2, 2026) denied allegations that the board under his leadership had conspired with Sabarimala gold loss case prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty to replate temple artefacts again in 2025. His remarks came after the special investigation team (SIT) probing two cases related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) in 2019, informed the Kerala High Court that there was evidence against the board under Mr. Prasanth in connection with the replating of the artefacts carried out again in 2025. The High Court subsequently directed the SIT either to register a fresh case or investigate the role of Mr. Prasanth and the then TDB members in the case relating to the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols. Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Prasanth said the board under his leadership assumed office only in November 2023. “Five months before that, on June 15, 2023, the TDB executive officer received a letter from the Tantri stating that there were defects in the Dwarapalaka and Ganapathi idols.
The file relating to the repairs was opened then itself,” he said. Prasanth said the issue concerning the Dwarapalaka idols came before the board only in 2024. “We came to know about the 2019 replating only when the files relating to it were produced before the court in 2025. In 2024, Potty requested that the Dwarapalaka idols be electroplated. The executive officer proposed that the gold-clad plates be handed over to Potty for the work, but the board did not approve that proposal,” he said. He said he had “no knowledge” of the replating carried out in 2019. “Only after the investigation began in 2025 did we come to know that replating had been carried out in 2019 and that a warranty card had been issued,” he said. Prasanth said “the only alleged lapse” by certain officials was failing to inform the Kerala High Court before sending the gold-clad plates to Chennai for the work in 2025. “It is not the responsibility of the TDB president or board members to inform the court about taking the gold-clad plates to Chennai.
That has to be done by the officials. I believe the lapse occurred due to a mistake on the part of certain officials, and it was not intentional,” he said. He said the officials had submitted an explanation stating that they were unaware that the court had to be informed before undertaking the work. He said there was suspicion about the probe conducted against him and the board under him. “It is a planned move to implicate us in the case by portraying the lapse as the responsibility of the board. That is the truth behind it,” he alleged. Prasanth also claimed that the 2025 replating was carried out without Mr. Potty playing any role. According to him, the work was carried out entirely by TDB officials, and the entire procedure was videographed and officially documented. “The overall weight and quantity of gold increased after the 2025 replating. Then what is the issue? We had no prior knowledge about the earlier replating,” he said.
The BriefWire