Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday decided to suo motu register a fresh case in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Sabarimala gold theft, emphasising the need to maintain complete confidentiality.
The decision follows a review of the progress made by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the court to probe the alleged disappearance of gold plates from the Sabarimala temple. The bench noted that the sensitive nature of the case required an additional layer of protection.
The new case is based on a report submitted earlier by the Special Commissioner of the Sabarimala temple. Notably, the court has included only the state government, the Travancore Devaswom Board, and the Devaswom Vigilance Department as respondents. None of the ten individuals named as accused in the two FIRs filed have been made parties to the fresh proceedings, reflecting the court’s seriousness in safeguarding confidential details and preserving the integrity of the probe.
The proceedings were held in camera, with counsels representing both the government and the Devaswom Board present. During the hearing, the SIT, led by SP S. Sashidharan, sought an additional two weeks to continue its investigation beyond the initially sanctioned six-week period. The court posted the case for November 15.
The high court’s move to register a separate case is seen as a step to balance judicial oversight with the need for absolute secrecy in one of the most sensitive temple-related investigations in recent years.
The fresh direction comes at a time when both the Congress and BJP have been demanding the resignation of Devasom Minister V.N. Vasavan and members of the Devaswom Board, and have also called for a probe by a national agency since the scam came to light.
With IANS inputs