In a dramatic escalation of the Sabarimala gold theft scandal, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Friday arrested the temple's chief priest, or tantri, Kandararu Rajeevaru. This marks the first arrest of a member of the revered Tantri clan in the ongoing case, sending shockwaves through the devote community during the peak of the temple's annual festival.
The Arrest and Its Significance
The arrest of Kandararu Rajeevaru represents a pivotal twist in the high-profile investigation. Until now, the SIT, which has registered two cases, had arrested nine individuals. All were either senior employees of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) or CPI(M) leaders who previously headed the board that administers the famous hill shrine. Rajeevaru's detention breaks new ground by directly implicating the temple's highest priestly authority.
Police sources allege that Rajeevaru was instrumental in facilitating the entry of the key accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, into the temple's inner circle. Potty reportedly began working as an assistant to priests back in 2007-08. He later leveraged his position to arrange darshan for VIPs, businessmen, and celebrities, before presenting himself as a sponsor for gold covering work on temple artefacts.
Details of the Elaborate Gold Theft
The Kerala High Court, which constituted the SIT, has classified the complex investigation into four distinct phases. The first phase focuses on the gold cladding of various adornments and artefacts in and around the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum). The second phase concerns the replacement of the old gold-clad door of the Sreekovil with a new gold-plated door in 2019.
The third phase pertains to the removal of the gold-clad Dwarapalaka idol plates, side plates, and door frame plates, also in 2019. The fourth and final phase covers all transactions related to the gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idol plates in 2025. The court has concluded that gold was systematically removed, replaced, or misappropriated as part of a premeditated plan by individuals entrusted with safeguarding the deity's valuables.
Profile of the Accused Priest and Next Steps
Kandararu Rajeevaru belongs to the Thazhamon family, the traditional priestly lineage of Sabarimala. He is the most senior priest from the family, having joined the temple in 1995 and becoming a central figure over the decades. In a significant generational shift, his son, Kandararu Brahmadathan, joined as a temple priest in 2024.
Rajeevaru was produced before the vigilance court in Kollam, where the case is being heard. The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 19, 2026. His arrest at the height of the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival underscores the seriousness with which investigators are pursuing the case, regardless of the temple's ceremonial calendar.
The scandal revolves around Unnikrishnan Potty's alleged actions in 2019 and 2025, where he is accused of taking out gold-plated temple items under the guise of sending them for gold covering, only for the precious metal to be stolen. The SIT continues to unravel what the court described as a concerted design to loot the temple's treasures.
