Sabarimala gold controversy began in 1998 when industrialist Vijay Mallya donated 30.3 kg of gold and 1,900-kg of copper for gold plating work at the temple. Years later, inspections found serious differences between the donated gold and the amount recorded as used. In 2019, during re-gold-plating work, about 4.54 kg of gold was found missing, leading to a court-monitored probe.