Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: Key Figures Charged with Fraud and Forged Documents The Sabarimala gold theft case has taken a significant turn as the Special Investigative Team (SIIT) submitted its report to the High Court, accusing former Devasthanam Board president P.S. Prashanth and the governing body of criminal conspiracy. The investigation revealed that the accused orchestrated a scheme to conceal the theft of gold from the temple’s sacred items in 2019, which was later covered up through fraudulent means. The case traces back to 2019 when gold-plated items, originally part of the temple’s sacred offerings, were allegedly stolen. The stolen gold was reportedly repurposed into plain metal plates, which were then reprocessed into gold. The accused, including P.S. Prashanth, allegedly used forged documents to mask the theft, claiming the gold had been damaged and needed repair. This led to the gold being sent to Chennai for reprocessing under the guise of a legitimate repair operation. SIIT’s findings indicate that the governing body, under Prashanth’s leadership, colluded with sponsors and officials to perpetuate the fraud. The investigation uncovered that the gold was not only stolen but also deliberately misrepresented as damaged to justify its removal. The accused further fabricated a certificate of authenticity, claiming the gold had a 40-year-old warrant, which was later proven to be forged. The case gained further complexity when the gold’s original color faded by 2023, revealing its true nature as plain metal. This prompted the accused to initiate a cover-up operation starting in 2023, with the approval of the governing body.#special_investigative_team #sabarimala_gold_theft_case #p_s_prashanth #devasthanam_board #unnikrishnan_potte
