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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, told the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that the gold separated from gold sheets at Smart Creations in Chennai was sold to Govardhan, a gold merchant in Bellari. Based on the crucial information, the SIT has taken Potti to Bengaluru to recover the gold. Following the vital lead obtained during Potti's interrogation, the SIT, led by SP Sasidharan, summoned Govardhan to the Crime Branch office in Thiruvananthapuram for questioning. During interrogation, Govardhan admitted that Potti had sold the gold to him. The investigating team hopes to recover the 476 grams of gold that was previously found to be missing during the plating process. Meanwhile, the SIT has determined that the act of B Murari Babu, who was arrested on Thursday, intentionally recording 'copper' instead of 'gold' in 2019 while serving as the Devaswom Administrative Officer, was deliberate.
Silver Price Prediction 2025: As precious metal hits record high, it could climb to as high as Rs 1.5 lakh per kg in the next 12 months, according to a report. Silver surged Rs 1,668 to hit its fresh all-time high of Rs 1,30,000 per kilogram on the MCX, as investors rushed to the white metal on strong bets of a US Federal Reserve rate cut next week. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), silver futures for March next year delivery soared Rs 1,668 or 1.3 per cent to hit a lifetime high of Rs 1,30 ...Read More >
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday pulled up the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for removing the gold-plated copper coverings from the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala without informing the Special Commissioner. A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar, while considering the Sabarimala Special Commissioner's report, expressed concern over repair works being carried out in Chennai in violation of procedures and court oversight. Installed in 2019 with a 40-year guarantee, the gold-plated coverings developed defects within six years. Sponsored by d ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 10 (ANI): In a scathing attack on the Kerala government amid the escalating Sabarimala gold plating controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Friday accused the state administration of betraying the trust of devotees and demanded the immediate dismissal of the Devaswom Minister along with the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Muraleedharan said that the Kerala High Court's intervention in the matter was a "clear indictment" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijay ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 22 (ANI): Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan and the dissolution of Travancore Devaswom Board over the Sabarimala gold "theft" issue. He also accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of trying to "brush the issue under the carpet." "Our position as the BJP has been a sharp contrast with the attempts of the CM to try and brush this under the carpet. When 4.5 kgs of gold from a sacred shrine like Sabarimala go missing, we consider it a crime...So, we have maintained from day 1 that ...Read More >
The outcome of the local self-govt elections was not as expected for the LDF and the reasons for this will be examined in detail. Necessary corrections will be made moving forward, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.Although a significant victory was anticipated across the state, such progress was not achieved, he said in a statement. "The fact that the NDA gained an advantage in the capital city and the influence of communalism in the election campaign are concerning to those who believe in se ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Sunday said he shared all the information available with him regarding the Sabarimala gold scam with the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case.Speaking to the media after giving his statement to the SIT, Chennithala said he informed the probe team about the possible links between the theft and international antique smuggling networks. He clarified that the details he provided were information he received in his capacity ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) India's gains from importing discounted Russian oil are estimated to be just USD 2.5 billion per annum, significantly lower than the previously speculated range of USD 10-25 billion, a research report said on Thursday. Stopping Russian oil imports would force India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, to rely on limited alternatives, potentially driving global crude prices up to USD 100 per barrel amid rising demand and tight supply. "Benefit from Russian oil imports is way less than exaggerated media numbers," brokerage CLSA said in a report. While ...Read More >
Bengaluru/T'puram: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged gold theft at Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, raided a house at Nagappa Block, Srirampura, in northern Bengaluru on Saturday and recovered materials and documents in connection with the case.A senior officer from Bengaluru said a Kerala police inspector and sub-inspector led the search. A source said the house belongs to Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the case. Meanwhile, the SIT has recovered the gold Potti handed over to the gold trader Govardhan of Ballari. The SIT led by SP Sasidharan recovered the gold from t ...Read More >
Mumbai: Gold and silver prices kept climbing on Thursday, riding a wave of optimism after the US government finally ended its long shutdown. Investors, still wary about the US economy and hoping for a friendlier Federal Reserve, rushed toward precious metals for some safety. Over at the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures for December delivery shot up by Rs 1,180, landing at Rs 1,27,645 per 10 grams. The February 2026 contract did even better, leaping Rs 1,360 to Rs 1,29,320 per 10 grams. Silver didn't miss out either -- it's now on a five-session winning streak. The December silver ...Read More >
Pathanamthitta (Kerala) [India], November 20 (ANI): The Special Investigation Team on Thursday arrested former Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar in the Sabarimala gold theft case, officials said. He was the Devaswom Board president in 2019, when the gold theft took place. The arrest came after the SIT questioned him for several hours at the State Police Headquarters since this morning. Also Read | 5G Network Expansion: India Set To Cross 1 Million 5G Subscription by End of 2031, Reflecting Rapid Growth in Adoption in Just 3 Years of Service Rollout, Says Report. On November 1 ...Read More >
Suspended BRS leader K. Kavitha claimed that corrupt practices are entrenched in contract work at Singareni, with 25% corruption occurring in every contract and 10% of the share going to senior Congress leaders. Speaking at a felicitation of her on being elected as the honorary president of HMS (AB Singareni Miners & Engineering Workers' Union), she warned that if the State fails to rein in these malpractices, the HMS-led movement will lay siege to Singareni Bhavan. Ms. Kavitha asserted that HM ...Read More >
KOCHI: Hardening its stance against the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for sending gold-plated sheets of 'dwarapalaka idols' of the Sabarimala temple to Chennai for repair without following proper procedure, the Kerala High Court on Friday directed the TDB's chief vigilance and security officer (SP) to seize all the records related to the gold plating of the idols and other items since the date of original cladding. It also impleaded Unnikrishnan Potty of Bengaluru, who is sponsoring the repair, and Smart Creations of Chennai, which is undertaking it, in the case and asked the registry to is ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 6 (ANI): The General Secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, Vellappally Natesan has heavily criticised Kerala's temple administration system, questioning whether "Devaswom Boards have become a curse." Criticising the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for sending gold-plated panels from the temple's Dwarapalaka idols to Chennai for repair without informing the High Court, Natesan wrote in 'Yoganadam', the official mouthpiece of the SNDP Yogam, that such an incident is "deeply painful for Ayyappa devotees" and highlighted that the a ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Judicial first class magistrate court in Ranni on Friday remanded Unnikrishnan Potti, the key accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, to the custody of the special investigation team (SIT) until Oct 30.Potti, who was taken into custody on Thursday from his residence at Pulimath, was subjected to several hours of interrogation at the crime branch headquarters in Eanchakkal before being formally arrested early Friday morning -- marking the first arrest in the case. He was later produced before the Ranni court, which allowed him 10 minutes to interact with his lawyer. Inves ...Read More >
Mysuru (Karnataka), Aug 25 (PTI) In a horrific crime, a 20-year-old married woman was allegedly killed by a man, who was in a relationship with her, by stuffing some "chemical powder" into her mouth after a heated argument, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Saturday at a lodge in Bherya village of Saligrama taluk in this district, they said, adding the woman died following consumption of the chemical. The accused Siddaraju was arrested, police said, adding he tried to portray the cause of her death as "due to mobile blast" to mislead the investigators. A case of murder was regi ...Read More >
Kochi, Sep 12 (PTI) The Kerala High Court on Friday ordered immediate seizure of the entire records related to the gold-plating of the 'Dwarapalaka' (guardian deity) idols in front of the Sabarimala sanctum sanctorum, saying there were a lot of "unanswered questions" regarding it. The direction by a bench of justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar came during hearing of a plea initiated by the court on its own with regard to the removal of the gold-plated copper coverings of the 'Dwarapalaka' idols located on either side of the Sreekovil without prior intimation to the Special Commis ...Read More >
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 26 (ANI): The Special Investigation Team (SIT), appointed by the Kerala High Court has questioned Pankaj Bhandari, CEO of Smart Creation in Chennai, over the alleged disappearance of gold linked to the Sabarimala temple's restoration work. The company had undertaken the electroplating of gold-clad copper coverings for the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols at the Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple. The SIT brought the accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, to Chennai after raiding his residence in Bengaluru. Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, was ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 9 (ANI): Following the violent protest at Kerala University, a case has been registered against 27 activists of the ruling CPM's Students Federation of India (SFI), including its state secretary P S Sanjeev, who has been named the prime accused, police said. The case also names 1,000 identifiable protesters who have been accused of damaging public property, forcibly entering the university campus, and assaulting police and university staff, police said on Tuesday. Also Read | Nobel Peace Prize 2025: From Mahatma Gandhi to Jawaharlal Nehru, Check Full ...Read More >
The Kerala Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Saturday conducted a raid at the Bengaluru residence of Potti Unnikrishnan as part of the ongoing probe. Unnikrishnan, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, was taken to Bengaluru on Friday for evidence collection, has been remanded to police custody until October 30. The SIT is examining his involvement in the 2019 theft of the gold-plated panels from the Sabarimala temple's Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) panels. Meanwhile, on Thursda ...Read More >
The SIT probing the Sabarimala gold theft has requested permission from the Thantri to conduct a scientific inspection at the Sannidhanam. The SIT aims to examine the gold-plated sheets on the Dwarapalaka sculptures and door frames. Pathanamthitta: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case has requested permission from the Thantri to carry out a scientific inspection at the Sannidhanam. The formal request was submitted to Thantri Mahesh Mohanaru through the Deva ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 10 (ANI): In a scathing attack on the Kerala government amid the escalating Sabarimala gold plating controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Friday accused the state administration of betraying the trust of devotees and demanded the immediate dismissal of the Devaswom Minister along with the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Muraleedharan said that the Kerala High Court's intervention in the matter was a "clear indictment" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijay ...Read More >
KOCHI: Even as gold prices surge to record highs, Kerala's temples continue to glitter with the devotion of followers. Offerings of gold and silver pour in undeterred. At the famed Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, devotees drop precious metals into the hundi (offering box) in astonishing quantities -- around 20 to 25 kg of gold and 120 to 150 kg of silver every year. The October 2025 collection alone yielded 2.58 kg of gold and 9.31 kg of silver. The Sabarimala hill shrine, which opens only for three months during the pilgrimage season, receives nearly 15 kg of gold during that short period. A ...Read More >
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from Sabarimala temple conducted searches at the prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty's Bengaluru apartment and a jewellery shop in Ballari. Gold bars were seized from the shop, owned by Govardhan, who reportedly funded the temple's Sreekovil door frame gold-plating work sponsored by Potty. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple conducted searches at the apartment of prime accused Unnikris ...Read More >
[BENGALURU] Gold prices edged higher on Thursday (Jul 10) as US President Donald Trump's latest tariff announcements kept markets cautious, with investors closely watching trade negotiations, while a slight pullback in the US dollar provided additional support. Spot gold rose 0.2 per cent to US$3,321.04 per ounce, as at 0044 GMT. US gold futures were up 0.3 per cent at US$3,329.10. The US dollar index edged down 0.3 per cent. A lower US dollar makes gold more affordable for overseas buyers. On Wednesday, Trump turned his trade ire against Brazil, threatening Latin America's largest economy ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a strategic business expansion, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has secured exploration licenses for gold and copper mines in Karnataka's Raichur and Devadurga areas, with a lucrative 37.75% royalty share. Exploration work is set to begin shortly, promising substantial financial benefits for the company. Once reserves are found, the company engaged in mining will continue to pay royalties to SCCL, boosting the company's economy. Announcing this at a press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said SCCL would participate in upcoming coal and mineral mine ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 (PTI) The opposition Congress and the BJP on Wednesday questioned why the gold-plated cladding of the 'Dwarapalakas' was removed in 2019 for renovation, why its weight was reduced when it was brought back to the shrine, and demanded a comprehensive probe into the matter. Both the BJP and Congress alleged that these actions took place with the knowledge of the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, V D Satheesan, questioned why the cladding -- which had a 40-year guarantee after being gold-plated in 1990 -- ...Read More >
Unnikrishnan Potty, who allegedly sponsored gold plating of temple items in 2019, has been arrested from his Thiruvananthapuram residence. This comes after Kerala HC found that the items that Potty allegedly took for gold plating in 2019 had been missing gold. A Special Investigation Team probing alleged misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala temple Thursday took Unnikrishnan Potty, who had sponsored gold-plating of temple items, into custody. Following directions from the Kerala High Cou ...Read More >
Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Oct 17 (PTI) A local court in Ranni here on Friday granted custody of Unnikrishnan Potty, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold missing case, to the SIT probing the matter. The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court granted the custody of Potty to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) till October 30. The accused claimed he had been 'trapped' by somone. "Those who trapped me will come before the law," he told reporters while being taken out of the court. A person in the crowd gathered outside the court hurled a footwear at Potty as he was being escorted out of the ...Read More >
Dhanteras trade in India is expected to surge past Rs 1 lakh crore. Gold and silver sales alone could reach over Rs 60,000 crore nationwide. Consumers bought gold, silver, utensils, electronics, and vehicles. Delhi's bullion markets saw a 25 percent rise in sales compared to last year. Reductions in GST rates and the 'Swadeshi Aapnao' campaign boosted festive trade. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has estimated that trade across India on the occasion of Dhanteras is expected to cro ...Read More >
Kochi, Sep 12 ( IANS) The Kerala High Court on Friday came down heavily on the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for removing gold-plated copper coverings from the Dwarapalaka (guardian) idols at Sabarimala without informing the court-appointed Special Commissioner. A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar, while hearing the Special Commissioner's report, expressed concern that the TDB bypassed procedure and court oversight by sending the ornaments for repairs to a Chennai-based firm, Smart Creations. The gold-plated coverings, guaranteed for 40 years when i ...Read More >