The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which started off with the probe into the misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols of Sabarimala temple and later confirmed gold theft from the door frames of the sanctum sanctorum, has found out that the scale of the scam could be much bigger. 

S Sasidharan, Head, SIT, in a custody application filed before the Enquiry Commissioner & Special Judge (Vigilance), Kollam, for the interrogation of the first accused Unnikrishnan Potty, the ninth accused Pankaj Bhandari and the tenth accused Roddam Pandurangaiah Naga Govardhan, has submitted that apart from the door frames and idols, gold-cladded Shiva idol on its top, the arch including the Vyali roopam(dragon figures), raashi plates, Dasharadha plates and the upper side of the door frame were entrusted to Potty on the pretext of gold cladding by falsely denoting the entire items as copper materials. 

The mahazar prepared at the time of the removal of the Dwarapalaka Idols showed that twelve copper plates of the Dwarapalakas, weighing 25.400 kilograms, and two pedestals, on which the Dwarapalakas stood, weighing 17.400 kilograms, were handed over to Potty on July 19 and 20, 2019, respectively. The total weight of the entrusted items was 42.800 kilograms. The records further showed that the gold-cladded Dwarapalakas and pedestals were produced by him at Smart Creations, Chennai, on August 29, 2019.

The mahazar then recorded the total weight of the items as 38.258 kilograms, showing an unexplained reduction of 4.541 kilograms from the weight recorded at Sannidhanam. After the gold plating was carried out, another mahazar was prepared, wherein the combined weight of the Dwarapalakas and pedestals was recorded as 38.653 kilograms, which still reflected a reduction of 4.147 kilograms compared to the original weight of 42.800 kilograms.

During the probe, the SIT has confirmed that gold was extracted using a chemical composition from the seven gold-cladded copper panels at Smart Creations, Chennai, owned by Bhandari. This gold was later found in the possession of Bhandari and Govardhan. During the interrogation, Bhandari said that gold was separated from two gold-plated copper panels inscribed with ten avatars affixed to the door frame of the sanctum sanctorum, gold-plated panels inscribed with star signs, one atop the frame, gold-plated panels of prabha mandalam, Dwarapalaka idols and pillar plates. Bhandari produced 109.243 gms of gold, which he had taken as labour charge for gold plating on October 25, 2025. 

Govardhan, owner of Roddam Jewellers, Bellari, Karnataka, produced 474.96 gms of gold before the SIT on October 24, 2025, which he had received as equivalent of the gold given to Bhandari via a person named Kalpesh. The SIT, in the custody application, has cited that there was much more gold than thatwhich  was recovered from Bhandari and Govardhan. The samples have been collected from the gold panels of the Sabarimala temple for a detailed scientific analysis at VSSC Thiruvananthapuram to ascertain the exact quantity of gold which was cladded on the panels.