Thiruvananthapuram: The high-profile Sabarimala gold theft case is entering a decisive third phase of investigation, raising anxiety within Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) prepares to file its next progress report before the High Court on November 4.
The probe, monitored by a division bench of the Kerala High Court, has already seen two major rounds.
The first culminated in the arrest of the alleged mastermind and key “sponsor” Unnikrishnan Potti, while the second saw the detention of Murari Babu, the then top official of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
On Sunday night, the SIT returned to its Thiruvananthapuram camp office after investigative trips to Bengaluru and Chennai along with Potti, signalling that the next phase is set to intensify.
According to sources, the SIT is scrutinising the role of several individuals named in the two FIRs filed in the case, which together list 10 accused, of whom only two are in custody so far.
With the Court deadline approaching, speculation is mounting over whether the team will summon individuals with political links.
The opposition Congress and BJP have both demanded that the SIT examine the involvement of senior CPI(M) leaders, including former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran and incumbent Minister V.N. Vasavan.
The gold theft, which dates back to 2019 during Surendran’s tenure, took place when former CPI(M) legislator A. Padmakumar was the TDB president.
Political observers note that any move implicating prominent figures could deal a serious blow to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s government, already grappling with internal unrest over the PM SHRI controversy.
The SIT’s findings and the High Court’s response next week are expected to determine whether the case remains a law-and-order issue — or escalates into a full-blown political crisis for Kerala’s ruling Left.
Meanwhile, a retired top Kerala Police officer, who had a stint with the NIA, reacted that the fate of the probe will be known when the contents of its report, which will be filed before the court on November 4, come out.
“At the moment, it’s too premature to make any comment on whether it’s going in the desired directions. On November 4, as and when the contents come out, I will say if the probe is going in the desired manner or not and if it will be one which will unravel all those behind this scam,” said the ex-police officer.
–IANS
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