The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted searches in three states as part of its money laundering investigation into the Sabarimala alleged gold loss case of Kerala, officials said.
About 21 locations across Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are being raided under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
The premises linked to the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, in Bengaluru and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar in Kerala apart from jewellers were covered by the federal probe agency as part of the action.
The ED filed a PMLA case on January 9 taking cognisance of a clutch of Kerala police FIRs. The politically sensitive case is already being investigated by a state Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the Kerala High Court.
The probe is related to a series of irregularities, including official misconduct, administrative lapses and a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate the gold from the various artefacts of the Lord Ayyappa shrine.
The charges also include the loss of gold from the gold-cladded copper plates of the 'Dwarapalaka' (guardian deity) idols and the door frames of the 'Sreekovil' (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple.
ED officials said preliminary investigation shows that gold-clad sacred artefacts were deliberately misrepresented as "copper plates" in official records and unlawfully removed from the temple premises between 2019 and 2025.
The gold was allegedly extracted through chemical processes at private facilities in Chennai and Karnataka, generating proceeds of crime which were retained, transferred and concealed, as per the officials.
They said the searches are aimed to trace the alleged illicit funds, identify beneficiaries, seize incriminating documents and digital evidence and "ascertain the full extent" of money laundering involved.
The investigation also indicates alleged financial irregularities and scams at Sabarimala, including misappropriation related to temple offerings and rituals, as per the ED officials.