Thiruvananthapuram: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) International President Adv. Alok Kumar on Monday alleged that high-ranking political leaders and government officials were involved in the Sabarimala gold robbery case and that its links extended beyond Kerala. He was addressing a dharna organised by the Sabarimala Karma Samithi in front of the Secretariat building, demanding that the investigation be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and that the government step down from the Devaswom administration. Adv. Alok Kumar said the case had ramifications outside Kerala and involved not just top government officials, the Chief Minister, and his party, but also senior Congress leaders, traders, and smuggling gangs operating in Karnataka.
“This is not a matter that can be probed by the local police or a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The network behind this crime is far too wide and powerful. Therefore, the Sabarimala gold robbery case must be handed over to the CBI to identify the real culprits,” he said. He further asserted that the Sabarimala issue was not confined to Kerala’s borders but was a matter of concern for the entire Hindu community in India. “This issue will resonate across the country, beyond Kerala. It affects devotees and Hindus everywhere,” Alok Kumar added.
#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Sabarimala Karma Samithi holds a protest at the Kerala Secretariat demanding a CBI probe into the Sabarimala gold theft. Alok Kumar, International Working President of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, was also present. pic.twitter.com/Si5ZTuXylP
— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2026
Gold could not have been smuggled without political backing,” says Sasikala Teacher
The meeting was presided over by Hindu Aikyavedi leader and Sabarimala Karma Samithi Chairperson K.P. Sasikala Teacher. Addressing the gathering, she said that gold could not have been smuggled out of Sabarimala without the knowledge and involvement of powerful forces. “If gold has been smuggled out, it could not have happened without the strong support of the government and political leadership,” she alleged.
Sasikala Teacher said the developments emerging from the probe were far from trivial and that devotees remained in the dark about the progress of the investigation, even after several days. “Devotees have no clarity about what the investigating agencies are doing. That is why we demand that the probe be handed over to the CBI and that the investigation report be completed and made public at the earliest,” she said.
#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: SJR Kumar, National Vice Chairman, Sabarimala Karma Samithy says, "People are bent upon destroying Sabarimala and Hindu religion… We are getting many reports about how the Devaswom Board is managing its temples… The SIT is formed by the… https://t.co/FOkWPC0SMq pic.twitter.com/mLpqUEggw5
— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2026
In his concluding remarks, Hindu Aikyavedi State President R.V. Babu said claims that the investigation was being conducted under the supervision of the High Court were interesting but not reassuring. He alleged that two officers recently inducted into the investigation team belonged to the CPM faction.
“The suspicion that this probe has been compromised did not arise today. It has existed from the very beginning. This investigation team has its limitations and is functioning under political pressure,” R.V. Babu said, reiterating the demand for an impartial CBI inquiry into the Sabarimala gold robbery case.
