Kerala HC Directs SIT to Register Case in Sabarimala Gold Theft Allegation
Investigation to be completed in six weeks; state police chief made party, additional DySPs added to SIT
Kerala, Oct 10 : The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a detailed probe into the alleged gold theft at Sabarimala. The court ordered the investigation to be completed and a report submitted within six weeks, emphasizing strict confidentiality and prohibiting any leaks of information.
In an interim order, the bench, comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and K.V. Jayakumar, instructed the SIT to submit its findings directly to the court in a sealed cover. The court also barred Unnikrishnan Potty from making public statements regarding the Sabarimala issue and made the state police chief a party in the case.
The High Court further directed that all documents seized during the investigation be secured with the registrar. Recognizing the case’s complexity, the SIT has been expanded to include two additional DySPs. The court raised concerns over the actions of the Travancore Devaswom Board in 2019, which had provided gold-plated plates to Unnikrishnan Potty for gold plating. The bench noted that gold covered not only the Dwarapalaka sculptures but also the front and back doors of the shrine, as recorded on May 18, 2019.
Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan assured that any irregularities in the functioning of the Devaswom Board would be investigated. Responding to opposition demands for resignations, he stated that no cases have been filed against either former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran or himself. “If anyone has taken even a single piece of gold from the Sabarimala temple, it will be returned, and strict legal action will follow,” he added.
The court’s direction ensures a thorough and confidential investigation into the alleged gold misappropriation at the sacred shrine.
