The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out search operations today at 21 locations across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The raids are linked to the alleged misappropriation of gold and other assets from the Sabarimala Temple.
The probe stems from several FIRs filed by the Kerala Crime Branch, which suggest a well-organized criminal conspiracy involving officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board, private individuals, intermediaries, and jewellers. Early investigations indicate that sacred gold-clad artifacts were deliberately recorded as copper plates in official records and illegally removed from the temple between 2019 and 2025. Reports suggest that the gold was extracted through chemical processes at private facilities in Chennai and Karnataka, with the proceeds being retained, transferred, and concealed.
The ED’s searches aimed to track the proceeds of crime, identify beneficiaries, seize incriminating documents and digital evidence, and determine the full extent of the alleged money laundering. The investigation has also uncovered signs of other financial irregularities at Sabarimala, including potential misappropriation of temple offerings and ritual funds, which are now under scrutiny under the PMLA.
