Gold Scandal Unveiled: Sabarimala's Golden Discrepancies

The Enforcement Directorate questioned former Travancore Devaswom Board officer Murari Babu about the Sabarimala gold-linked money laundering investigation. Babu, arrested by Kerala's SIT, is accused of administrative lapses and conspiracy to misappropriate gold from the Lord Ayyappa shrine's artefacts.

On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate interrogated Murari Babu, a former official of the Travancore Devaswom Board, regarding an alleged Sabarimala gold-linked money laundering case. This investigation is conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Murari Babu, who had previously been arrested by the Kerala special investigation team, is suspected of involvement in administrative malpractices and a criminal plot. He was recently released on bail. The Enforcement Directorate's search operations in this case began last month.

The inquiry, a consortium of Kerala police FIRs, was launched on January 9. It focuses on alleged discrepancies within the shrine's management, including misconduct that led to the misappropriation of gold associated with the Lord Ayyappa shrine.