The High Court of Kerala has issued a firm directive to the State of Kerala and the Travancore Devaswom Board , requiring the immediate acceleration of the administrative process for obtaining prosecution sanction in the high-profile case involving the alleged theft and misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala temple. The Division Bench, comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K. V. Jayakumar, intervened to ensure that the investigation, which has already reached its conclusion, does not face further procedural delays that could hinder the submission of the final report to the jurisdictional court .

The core of the issue involves the Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Sri. Sasidharan, IPS, which has officially informed the Court that its probe into the matter, registered under Crime No. 3701 of 2025 , has been completed. However, under the mandates of Section 19(1)(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 , the submission of a final report to the court is contingent upon receiving formal prosecution sanction . This process currently requires the inclusion of specialized legal advice in the draft charge sheet , a step that has been stalled due to an administrative vacuum regarding the position of the Assistant Legal Advisor. Although the position has been sanctioned, the individual appointed to the post has yet to assume charge, effectively creating a bottleneck that has delayed the filing of necessary legal documents.

The Court’s order, issued on October 26, 2026 , emphasizes the necessity of removing these bureaucratic hurdles. "In the aforesaid circumstances, we direct the concerned authorities to take all necessary steps to expedite the matter and ensure that the requisite legal advice is obtained without delay and the request for prosecution sanction is placed before the competent authority," the Bench observed. The judicial intervention is a response to the gravity of the allegations, which concern the sanctity and financial integrity of one of India's most significant pilgrimage sites.

Procedural Hurdles and Official Accountability

The investigation into the misappropriation began following startling revelations regarding gold-clad copper coverings placed on the Dwarapalakas—the two guardian deities flanking the Sreekovil, or the temple’s sanctum sanctorum. The saga dates back to 1999 , when a devotee donated these gold-clad plates to the temple. Decades later, in 2019 , these plates were transported to Chennai for essential repair works. Discrepancies emerged when the records maintained by the Travancore Devaswom Board , which oversees the temple's administration, categorized the plates as mere copper sheets during the transport, failing to acknowledge their gold-clad nature.

When the plates were subsequently measured following the repair, it was discovered that several kilograms of gold were missing. The realization that the state-sanctioned documentation did not match the physical reality of the assets triggered alarm, eventually leading to the initiation of suo motu proceedings in 2025 after the special commissioner alerted the Court to the suspicious removal and handling of these sacred artifacts. Since then, the High Court has taken an active role in monitoring the SIT’s progress to ensure that those responsible for the loss of temple assets are held accountable under the relevant provisions of the law.

During the recent hearing, which was conducted in-camera , the learned Director General of Prosecutions, Sri. Asaf Ali , assured the Court that the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure that the Assistant Legal Advisor assumes their role promptly. The Court has made it clear that the lack of internal staffing should not serve as an excuse for delaying the course of justice. The Bench has directed that once the prosecution sanction is successfully obtained, the SIT must proceed with the immediate submission of the final report before the jurisdictional magistrate .

Maintaining Judicial Oversight

The ongoing supervision by the Division Bench serves to ensure that the investigation into both Crime No. 3701 of 2025 and Crime No. 3700 of 2025 remains on track. The Court has set strict deadlines for the SIT, reiterating that the request for prosecution sanction must be finalized within the time frame previously stipulated in its order dated October 7, 2026 . This move is designed to prevent the case from lingering in administrative limbo.

"The SIT shall ensure that, upon obtaining the requisite prosecution sanction , the final report is submitted before the jurisdictional court without any delay," the Court stated in its latest order. By maintaining this level of scrutiny, the High Court intends to safeguard the integrity of the temple's property and uphold the trust of millions of devotees who contribute to the sanctity of the Sabarimala temple.

The administrative delay regarding the Assistant Legal Advisor has brought to the forefront the need for greater efficiency in the legal departments associated with the Travancore Devaswom Board and the Kerala State Audit Department . As the investigation enters its final phase, the pressure on the state to clear the path for formal prosecution is expected to increase. The court has scheduled the next hearing for November 10, 2026 , by which time it expects a status update regarding the completion of the procedural requirements and the movement of the final charge sheet. The matter remains a critical test of the state’s commitment to transparency in the management of religious assets and the rigorous enforcement of anti-corruption statutes.