Kerala Govt denies conspiracy in Sabarimala tantri’s arrest; Opposition seeks HC-monitored probe

Thiruvananthapuram: The arrest of the Sabarimala tantri in the gold theft case has triggered a sharp political confrontation in Kerala, with the ruling Left Democratic Front rejecting allegations of vendetta and the Opposition pressing for a High Court-monitored investigation into the circumstances surrounding his 40-day imprisonment.

The controversy centres on the arrest of Kandararu Rajeevaru in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. In his bail application, the tantri claimed that his arrest was driven by resentment within the ruling dispensation over his opposition to the entry of women into Sabarimala.

Responding to the allegations, Law Minister P Rajeev dismissed claims of political interference, asserting that the government had no role in the functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT). He maintained that the action taken was based on concrete evidence and described the conspiracy charge as unfounded.

Earlier this week, the Kollam Vigilance Court granted bail to the tantri, observing that there was no material linking him directly to the alleged theft.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan has since demanded that the SIT spell out the exact offence allegedly committed by the tantri and clarify the legal basis for his arrest. The Opposition also questioned whether the move was intended to deflect attention from allegations levelled against the CPM.

It further referred to social media posts by party supporters portraying the arrest as a “credit” to the Chief Minister.

The Opposition had on January 11 sought clarity on the specific role of any accused person, whether a Minister or a tantri, in a criminal case.

"If he has committed any wrongdoing, let him remain in jail. But the public must be told about it," the Opposition said, reiterating its demand for a High Court-supervised probe.

Although the SIT had initially considered challenging the bail order before the High Court, it has reportedly stepped back from the move to avoid creating an impression of targeting the tantri.

With the investigation already under judicial oversight, the LDF government now faces increasing political scrutiny over both the arrest and the subsequent handling of the case.
IANS