Sabarimala gold theft: former TDB chief denied bail, co-accused gets relief on medical grounds

A file photo of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The Kollam Vigilance Court on Saturday rejected the bail application of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prashanth in the Sabarimala gold theft case, while granting relief to co-accused and former board member A. Ajikumar on medical grounds. Judge C.S. Mohit pronounced the order following a three-day hearing on the bail applications submitted by both the accused, who were in judicial custody.While seeking bail, Mr. Ajikumar’s counsel submitted medical reports highlighting that the former board member suffers from severe kidney ailments and is undergoing dialysis. The prosecution did not oppose Mr. Ajikumar’s bail plea given his medical treatment requirements. However, it strongly objected to granting bail to Mr. Prashanth, arguing that his release could adversely affect the ongoing investigation. Consequently, the court turned down Mr. Prashanth’s plea despite his health claims.‘Larger conspiracy’Both Mr. Prashanth and Mr. Ajikumar were arrested on July 23 by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) following interrogation. The arrests were made in connection with the 2025 case involving the transport of the Dwarapalaka panelling for gold plating. According to the SIT findings presented to the court, the transport of the idols to Chennai in 2025 was part of a larger conspiracy to cover up an earlier gold theft from 2019. The SIT informed the court that the former Devaswom Board leadership played a direct role in issuing administrative approvals and expediting official files to facilitate the move.During the arguments, the prosecution presented evidence establishing links between the accused and primary suspect Unnikrishnan Potti, including overlapping tower locations. Beyond the gold theft case, both Mr. Prashanth and Mr. Ajikumar are also named as accused in the Sabarimala ghee procurement scam, where Vigilance investigations revealed irregularities in tenders and and backchannel influence to benefit Milma. Published - August 22, 2026 07:00 pm IST