Kerala High Court extends SIT probe deadline in Sabarimala gold theft case

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has granted the Special Investigation Team (SIT) an additional month to complete the investigation into the Sabarimala gold theft case. The court also ruled that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may once again approach the Magistrate Court seeking a copy of the Crime Branch FIR, and directed that a fresh application be filed explaining the reasons for the request. The High Court set aside the Magistrate Court’s earlier order denying access to the FIR.

The SIT had requested more time to finish the probe, and with the court’s approval, the investigation can now continue until the first week of January.

Additional information taken following the arrest of A Padmakumar has been submitted before the court in the form of an interim investigation progress report. The report was examined in detail by a division bench in a closed courtroom before the extension was granted. The SIT also informed the court that further questioning of several individuals, including prominent figures, is required.

The investigation team had previously been given six weeks to complete the inquiry, a deadline that got over. The petitions were heard by a division bench comprising Justices V Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar.