Sabarimala gold theft: Former Kerala LoP Chennithala questions SIT finding
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Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala expressed significant reservations on Thursday about the Special Investigation Team (SIT) findings in the Sabarimala gold robbery case, which excluded Dindigul-based businessman D. Mani.
Chennithala questioned the credibility of the SIT findings and demanded to know where the gold taken from Sabarimala is, saying that the SIT has so far failed to trace the missing gold.
"The gold lost in the Sabarimala gold plate theft has not been recovered till date. The SIT has not been able to answer the basic question of where the seized property is," the former LoP said, IANS reported.
He added that the missing gold was not limited to the 300 grams allegedly held by jewellery owner Govardhan and that a substantial quantity remained unaccounted for.
Chennithala said the information he had shared earlier was based on inputs provided by a close friend and non-resident industrialist.
He added that he continues to remain in touch with the industrialist, who has stood firmly by his earlier statements.
According to Chennithala, the industrialist has provided leads related to the case and said that the truth would emerge if a proper and sincere investigation were conducted.
The Former LoP also raised concerns about the functioning and composition of the SIT, alleging attempts by the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office to influence the investigation in recent days.
He claimed that two individuals linked to a police association had been included in the SIT and alleged that office-bearers of a police association with close ties to the CPI(M) were now part of the investigation team.
Terming these developments "highly suspicious", Chennithala said the impartiality of the probe had been compromised.
He asserted that only a court-monitored CBI investigation would be able to bring out the full facts and restore public confidence in the handling of the high-profile case.
As of now, the SIT has arrested 10 people of the 15, who have been charge sheeted in two separate cases linked to the gold heist.