The Kerala High Court on Thursday delivered a significant order in the sensational Sabarimala gold theft case, dismissing the anticipatory bail pleas of two accused. The court explicitly directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to expand its probe to uncover a wider conspiracy and investigate the alleged involvement of influential "big guns" in the administration.
Court Directs SIT to Follow the Money and Power Trail
Justice A. Badharudeen, presiding over the bench, made strong observations about the nature of the alleged crime. The court stated that the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, had enjoyed "unbridled freedom" to misappropriate the valuable gold belonging to the holy deity. This, the judges noted, was seemingly possible due to the connivance of others involved.
The bench emphasized that such a large-scale looting of gold from a revered temple like Sabarimala, which holds the deep faith of lakhs of devotees, could not have occurred without the knowledge and involvement of certain senior officials. The HC ordered the investigation to be widened to include those who may have played a role, specifically by tracing the higher-ups who had control, connections, and constant contact with Potti during his tenure at the temple.
The Core of the Conspiracy: Falsifying Records
Upon examining the prosecution's records, the High Court noted a prima facie case of a deliberately moulded conspiracy. The conspiracy involved the accused and other persons holding higher positions connected to the administration of the Sabarimala temple under the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
The court highlighted the modus operandi. The dwarapalaka (door guardian) plates in question were originally gold-clad, meaning there was absolutely no necessity for any further plating process. The conspirators, fully aware of this fact, allegedly recorded these plates as being made of copper and then recommended them for gold plating. This false manoeuvre created an opportunity to siphon off the original gold for illegal gains.
This false description was formally recorded both in the minutes of the TDB and in the official mahazars (inspection reports), indicating a deep-seated plot, according to the court's observations.
A Scam of the "Widest Magnitude"
The Kerala High Court categorically described the conspiracy in the present case as being of the "widest magnitude." It involves some higher officials beyond those currently named as accused. The dismissal of the pre-arrest bail petitions underscores the court's serious view of the allegations and its insistence on a thorough, uncompromised investigation that reaches the top echelons of responsibility.
The order puts significant pressure on the SIT to follow the evidence trail without fear or favour and expose all individuals involved in the scandal, which has shocked devotees across Kerala and beyond.
