On Friday, October 17, 2025, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Kerala High Court arrested Unnikrishnan Potti, the main suspect in the alleged diversion of gold-plated copper molds intended for stone carvings and sculptures at the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. This was the first arrest in the gold theft case, which has sparked protests from Opposition parties demanding the resignation of Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P. S. Prasanth. Mr. Potti was summoned to the Crime Branch office on Thursday, but his family, lawyer, and journalists waited for hours without knowledge of his location.
After undergoing a medical examination at the General Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, the SIT allowed him to contact his family to inform them of his status prior to his official arrest. The investigation has covered several states, involving former TDB officials, Mr. Potti, and business owners connected to the smelting and restoration of copper-gold items. Conducted in strict secrecy per High Court directives, the investigation gained momentum following Mr. Potti’s revelations in September about two gold overlays he donated to the temple in 2019 that were reportedly missing. His disclosure sent shockwaves through the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, which was already under pressure while organizing the Global Ayyappa Sanghamam at Pampa as part of its Sabarimala development initiative.
The High Court’s division bench overseeing Sabarimala matters instructed the TDB’s vigilance wing to initiate a preliminary inquiry, leading to the recovery of the two gold-plated panels from Mr. Potti’s sister’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram.