Sabarimala Gold Case: Bail Denied to Former TDB President Prasanth, Ajikumar Gets Relief

A Vigilance court in Kollam on Saturday denied bail to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P S Prasanth in connection with the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala temple. The court, however, granted bail to former TDB board member A Ajikumar, citing his health condition.

Kollam Vigilance Court Judge Mohit C S rejected Prasanth’s bail plea. Prasanth, the 17th accused, and Ajikumar, the 18th accused, were arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on July 23.

According to the SIT’s remand report, Prasanth, Ajikumar and another board member, G Sundaresan, had approved a 2024 Board decision to undertake maintenance of the Dwarapalaka sculpture panels. The work was not carried out that year as the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season was approaching.

The SIT alleged that subsequent decisions regarding the electroplating of the panels were taken despite concerns raised by officials. Thiruvabharanam Commissioner Rejilal reportedly recommended adopting a traditional method after noting that Smart Creations lacked the technology to recover the existing gold coating and reuse it for replating.

Despite the recommendation, the Board, under Prasanth’s chairmanship, decided on September 2, 2025, to entrust the maintenance work to Smart Creations, the report said.

The SIT alleged that the decision violated a June 30, 2023 order of the Sabarimala Special Commissioner, which required the Kerala High Court to be informed in advance about maintenance work involving valuable temple properties.

Investigators further alleged that the decision was aimed at preventing details concerning the 2019 maintenance work and the alleged gold loss from becoming public, including the quantity and quality of gold involved.

Prasanth is the third former TDB president arrested in connection with the two Sabarimala gold-loss cases. The SIT, constituted on the direction of the Kerala High Court, is expected to file charge sheets soon and submit a progress report to the court next month.