Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has dramatically escalated the Sabarimala gold theft controversy by alleging direct involvement of international antique smuggling syndicates in what he described as a meticulously planned plunder of priceless temple treasures. In a formal complaint submitted to the Special Investigation Team on Saturday, Chennithala claimed to have received verified intelligence indicating that notorious global operators have struck a Rs 500 crore deal with certain individuals connected to the Travancore Devaswom Board.

The veteran opposition leader asserted that the theft of sacred gold ornaments from the world-renowned Sabarimala Ayyappa temple forms only the tip of a larger conspiracy targeting multiple prominent Hindu shrines across Kerala. He warned that organised criminal networks, including infamous businessmen with established smuggling channels, have invested substantial resources within the state to systematically loot and export invaluable idols, antiques, and ritual articles.

Chennithala pointed to the continued non-recovery of the original stolen gold items as compelling evidence of international involvement, noting that domestic thieves would typically attempt to melt or sell the metal locally. He drew particular attention to a recent Kerala High Court observation comparing the sophistication of the Sabarimala operation to the methods employed by Subhash Kapoor, the disgraced American antiquities dealer currently imprisoned for running one of the world’s largest temple artefact smuggling rings.

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The Congress leader stated that his source, described as an individual with direct knowledge of the smuggling underworld, stands ready to provide detailed evidence and documentation to investigators. The Special Investigation Team has scheduled Chennithala’s formal statement for Wednesday, marking a significant development in the probe that has already triggered widespread public outrage and political confrontation.

As the investigation intensifies, Chennithala’s explosive allegations have placed fresh pressure on both the state government and temple administration, raising serious questions about security protocols at Kerala’s most sacred religious institutions and the potential exposure of centuries-old heritage to global criminal networks.

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