Kerala High Court declines to intervene in Sabarimala gold theft probe, defers CBI plea

The Kerala High Court on Friday declined to interfere in the ongoing investigation into the alleged gold theft linked to the Sabarimala Temple, observing that the probe is currently being handled by a competent officer under judicial supervision. 

The observation came while the court was hearing a petition seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the incident, widely referred to as the Sabarimala gold theft case.

A Devaswom Bench of the High Court noted that the investigation is being conducted by “one of the best investigating officers in the state,” and therefore there is no immediate justification for transferring the probe to a central agency.

The Bench emphasised that the court would step in only if circumstances arise that warrant judicial intervention.

The court also clarified that remarks made by the trial court while granting bail to the accused cannot, by themselves, be used as grounds to transfer the investigation to another agency. Such observations, the Bench said, do not automatically justify shifting the probe from the present investigative authority.

Further, the High Court pointed out that the investigation is already progressing under its oversight. It stressed that the judiciary must rely strictly on evidence placed on record and the progress of the probe rather than public speculation or perceptions surrounding the case.

According to the court, decisions regarding the direction of an investigation cannot be influenced by the narrative evolving in the public domain. Instead, they must be guided by legal standards and the material available before the court.

The petition seeking a CBI investigation has now been posted for further consideration after one week. The court indicated that it would review the progress of the ongoing investigation before deciding on the request for a central agency probe.

The alleged gold theft linked to the Sabarimala Temple has attracted significant public attention in recent weeks, prompting calls from some quarters for the involvement of the CBI.

Meanwhile, of the 13 accused named in two charge sheets filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), nine have already secured bail.

Authorities continue to pursue the investigation under the existing arrangement while the court monitors developments in the case.