Thiruvananthapuram: Amid mounting criticism over its handling of the Sabarimala gold theft scandal while in power and the political fallout from the row, the CPI(M) Monday suspended former Travancore Devaswom Board president and ex-MLA A. Padmakumar from its primary membership. Padmakumar is among the key accused in the case involving the alleged disappearance of about 4.5 kg of gold during re-plating work at the Sabarimala temple.
The move comes days after the party acknowledged that the controversy had hurt its performance in the Kerala assembly elections concluded last month.
The decision was taken at the Pathanamthitta district committee meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Monday. Senior party leader and former finance minister T. M. Thomas Isaac said the party was not satisfied with the explanation submitted by Padmakumar over the allegations.
“Based on the report filed by the SIT, the party will seek a more detailed report. Based on that, we will take further action,” Isaac told reporters. He said that the party’s decision was not influenced by recent reports regarding Padmakumar writing an autobiography that carries possible revelations about the CPI(M), adding that the party was not afraid of anyone and believed every citizen had the right to write an autobiography.
Padmakumar’s suspension comes months after his arrest in the gold theft case in November 2025 and subsequent bail in February this year. At the time, the party had maintained that action would be taken only if he would be proven guilty. It later sought an explanation from him in March and barred him from participating in party activities.
The party’s response to the allegations had drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition, making the case one of the most pertinent issues during the poll campaign.
Isaac also acknowledged Monday that there was a general sentiment within the party over the delay in action.
Last week, CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan, while discussing the party’s electoral setback after a state committee review meeting, said that the Congress’s campaign centred on accusing the CPI(M) of failing to act against Padmakumar had adversely affected the party’s performance in the elections. The CPI(M) won only 26 of the 140 seats.
Notably, local media reports Sunday suggested that Padmakumar had told close associates that he was deliberately kept away when two women had entered the Sabarimala shrine back in 2019, and that decision was taken by the Chief Minister’s Office. He was also reported to have claimed that he was pressured into signing documents related to the gold-plating project. According to the reports, these revelations are expected to feature in his autobiography.
Responding to these reports, Govindan said the party had no reason to comment on such allegations.
The politically sensitive case revolves around the alleged disappearance of about 4.5 kg of gold during the re-plating of the Dwarapalaka (guardian) idols and their pedestals at the Sabarimala temple.
According to documents accessed from the Kerala High Court, Bengaluru-based sponsor Unnikrishnan Potti was granted approval by the Travancore Devaswom Board in 2019 to undertake fresh gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols and associated pedestals. As part of the process, gold-clad copper panels were removed from the temple and sent for re-plating.
Court records show that the material weighed around 42.8 kg when handed over, but only 38.258 kg when it was returned 39 days later, indicating a shortfall of roughly 4.5 kg. Investigators found that the re-plating work had been carried out at a Chennai-based firm, Smart Creations, where the gold allegedly went missing.
The matter had come to light in September 2025 after the Kerala High Court took suo motu cognisance of the issue based on a vigilance report, as Potti had been entrusted for more work in the temple. A Special Investigation Team was constituted the following month.
The high court later observed that the events beginning in 2019 and culminating in the subsequent handling of the Dwarapalaka idols formed part of a “well-orchestrated and premeditated scheme”. Along with Padmakumar, the SIT had also arrested sponsor Potti, chief priest (Tantri) Kandararu Rajeevaru, and CPI(M) functionary N. Vasu, among other TDB officials.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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