The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from Sabarimala is expected to submit its first progress report to the Kerala High Court soon, police sources confirmed on Monday.
The division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar is scheduled to hear the case again on Tuesday, and sources told the media that the SIT plans to file its report on the same day.
Officials said the report will cover the current status of the investigation, including the recent arrest of Bengaluru-based businessman Unnikrishnan Potty. Potty had sponsored the electroplating of gold-clad copper plates on the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames in 2019. The report is also expected to detail the investigation carried out in Chennai, where the plates were electroplated.
The High Court, in assigning the case to the SIT, had initially directed the team to file a progress report within two weeks and set a six-week deadline for completing the entire investigation. The SIT has so far registered two cases related to the missing gold from the plates of both the Dwarapalaka idols and the Sreekovil door frames. As many as ten people have been named as accused in both cases, including Potty and several Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials. The SIT is expected to interrogate the other accused individuals shortly.
Moreover, the amicus curiae, retired High Court Judge Justice KT Sankaran, who was assigned to prepare an inventory of all valuables, including gold, at the hill shrine, is also expected to submit a preliminary report when the case is considered on Tuesday. Justice Sankaran visited Sabarimala and examined the strong rooms last week.
Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph alleged that the state government is protecting the accused persons in the Sabarimala case. “Even though the court ordered the SIT probe on October 6th, the arrest was made only on October 16th. When Congress workers are arrested within hours in other cases, those accused of stealing crores of rupees worth of gold from Sabarimala are freely roaming. The government is intentionally protecting them,” he claimed.
Also read: Kerala HC helps 'drug addict' secure college admission, pays fee
Follow us
