A report on the scientific analysis of the gold on the copper plating covering various artefacts and door frames of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, as ordered by the Kerala High Court, has been submitted to the vigilance court, sources said on Friday.
The analysis was done by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) and the report was submitted to the court in a sealed envelope, sources said.
The report will be handed over to the High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) for further investigation, they added.
The Supreme Court allowed the SIT’s request for scientific analysis of the copper-clad gold to compare the nature of the gold on the plates before and after they were taken for restoration in 2019 by prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti.
Meanwhile, Mr. Potti, earlier in the day, filed a fresh bail application in the Vigilance court citing the SIT’s failure to file the chargesheet despite the expiry of the mandatory 90-day period prescribed by law, sources said.
He was arrested in two cases related to the loss of gold from the idols of Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) and Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frame and is in judicial custody.
The SIT has so far arrested 12 people, including Mr. Potti and two former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
Published – 16 Jan 2026 20:34 IST
