Sabarimala gold theft case: Kerala HC denies bail to three

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday denied bail to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A. Padmakumar, Bellary-based gold merchant Roddam Govardhan, and former Sabarimala executive officer Murari Babu, accused in the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka statues and door frames of the Sreekovil at the Sabarimala temple.

A Bench of Justice A. Badharudeen observed that the accused who were duty-bound to protect and preserve the temple property jointly looted it in the guise of safeguarding it.

Denying bail to Mr. Padmakumar, a former MLA, the court noted that he was influential and that his release could impede the investigation, including the recovery of the remaining misappropriated gold. Although Mr. Padmakumar was arrested in November 2025, former TDB officials N. Vijayakumar and K.P. Sankardas were arrested only recently.

The court noted that allowing Mr. Padmakumar’s release at this stage would prevent the investigating officer from questioning all stakeholders together to determine how the gold was misappropriated.

The court observed that the investigation was still in progress and that a substantial portion of the allegedly misappropriated gold was yet to be recovered. While 4,147 gm of gold was believed to have been misappropriated in both cases, only 474.960 gm had been recovered from Mr. Govardhan so far.

Failure to recover the remaining gold, the court noted, would provide the accused with an undue advantage to evade penal consequences, rendering the prosecution ineffective. The court therefore directed the investigating officer to prioritise this aspect to ensure a thorough and meaningful investigation.

The court also highlighted the unique significance of the misappropriated gold, emphasising that its removal from the Dwarapalaka pillars and door frames so close to the sacred deity made its antique and spiritual value impossible to quantify in monetary terms. “These factors give the crimes an independent identity, distinguishing them from ordinary offences where bail is more routinely granted.”

Consequently, the court concluded that the premature release of Mr. Govardhan would significantly obstruct the investigation. It further noted that any potential involvement of persons beyond the already arraigned accused must also be investigated.

The court also directed the Medical Superintendent of the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, to constitute a board to submit a detailed report on the condition of Mr. Sankardas and the treatment being provided.

The report should include a specific opinion on whether continued hospitalisation was necessary, whether treatment could be continued within jail, whether private hospital care was essential, and whether he suffered from any serious condition warranting continued hospitalisation.