Sabarimala Gold Theft: Kerala High Court Rejects Accused Jeweller Govardhan's Plea For Permission To Travel Abroad
The Kerala High Court on Thursday (October 15) rejected the pleas moved by Sabarimala Gold Theft accused Roddam Pandurangaiah Naga Govardhan seeking permission to travel abroad for his daughter's graduation. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 582]
A detailed order is awaited.
Justice A. Badharudeen dismissed the pleas, which were preferred after the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Kollam refused to release his passport or to permit him to travel to Australia for the graduation ceremony.
Govardhanan is arrayed in both the crimes presently being investigated by a Special Investigation Team constituted by the High Court. He is arrayed as the 13th accused in the crime regarding the misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols. He is also the 10th accused in case related to the doorframes/lintels of the Sreekovil in Sabarimala.
He is accused of the offences under Sections 403 [Dishonest misappropriation of property], 406 [Criminal breach of trust], 409 [Criminal breach of trust by public servant], 466 [Forgery of record of Court or of public register] and 467 [Forgery of valuable security] r/w Section 34 [Common intention] of the Indian Penal Code along with the offence under Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 in the FIRs before the Crime Branch.
He was arrested by the SIT on December 19, 2025. Though he moved the High Court seeking bail, he was not granted relief. Govardhan had taken a stand that he was arrested despite giving his full cooperation since the inception of the investigation and that the SIT even coerced him to give gold weighing 474.970 grams from the jewellery.
Subsequently, he was granted statutory bail by the Special Court in March. According to his plea, one the conditions imposed while granting bail was to surrender his passport.
It is stated that he had approached the Special Court on several occasions earlier seeking modification of the bail conditions, which were allowed on conditions. He has stated that he used to strictly comply with the conditions imposed. However, his present request for release of passport and permission to travel abroad was rejected by the Special Court. Following this, he came before the High Court.
He sought permission to travel to Australia from October 14 to 24. However, the Court has rejected his pleas.
Counsel for the petitioner: Thomas J. Anakkallunkal, Anupa Anna Jose Kandoth, Dhanya Sunny, Rithu Jose, Anjali C.S.