THE SIT probing the Sabarimala gold missing case has stated in its remand report that the accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, misappropriated around two kilograms of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols after sponsoring their electroplating in 2019. Investigation officer S Sasidharan filed the remand report before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Ranni on Friday, when Potty was arrested and produced as part of the remand procedure. The court has sent Potty to the SIT’s custody until October 30.

 

Potty, who worked as an assistant to the temple priest at Sabarimala between 2004 and 2008, was aware that the copper plates of the Dwarapalaka idols were clad in gold in 1998. Potty used this knowledge with the intent to cheat and gain financially, causing losses to the Travancore Devaswom Board. He allegedly filed an application to “repair” the Dwarapalaka idol plates, which contained about two kilograms of gold, in 2019. After removing the plates, they were taken to multiple locations against temple tradition and finally to Smart Creations in Ambattur, Chennai. “With the help of Smart Creations, the gold was removed from the gold-clad copper plates and illegally retrieved. To conceal this, only 394.9 grams of gold were replated,” the report stated.