Kerala High Court refuses jeweller accused in Sabarimala gold case permission to travel to Australia

17 October 2026

Justice A. Badharudeen of the Kerala High Court has dismissed two petitions by jeweller Roddam Pandurangaiah Naga Govardhan seeking permission to travel to Australia from October 14 to 24, 2026, for his daughter's graduation ceremony.
The petitions were Crl.MC Nos. 8474 and 8475 of 2026.
The Special Judge at Kollam had earlier refused to release his passport, and the High Court upheld that refusal.
The Court held that the investigation is still ongoing, that his presence is required for it, and that the graduation ceremony can be attended online.
Govardhan is the 13th accused in the case over misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and the 10th accused in the case concerning the Sreekovil doorframes at Sabarimala.
He was arrested by the court-constituted Special Investigation Team on December 19, 2025, and got statutory bail in March 2026 on condition that he surrender his passport.