Kochi: The Kerala High Court's Devaswom Bench will hear the Sabarimala gold theft case on Monday, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) expected to submit its final investigation progress report.

A key part of the hearing is likely to be the results of scientific examinations conducted on gold plate samples at a laboratory in Jamshedpur. The samples were sent for testing around four months ago, and investigators are expected to place the findings before the court.

The report is considered crucial because it may help establish the actual extent of the alleged gold loss at the shrine. The High Court had earlier observed that the scientific analysis would be important in determining how much gold, if any, was lost.

Test results expected to guide next stage of probe

According to investigators, the laboratory findings may help clarify whether the original gold plates were replaced or whether only the gold coating on the plates was removed. The examination is also expected to provide an estimate of the quantity of gold allegedly lost.

The availability of the report could pave the way for the next stage of the investigation. The SIT is expected to inform the court when it plans to file the chargesheet, which had been delayed pending the scientific findings.

Investigators are also expected to rely on the report while examining whether any irregularities occurred during gold-plating work carried out at Sabarimala in 2025 under the then Travancore Devaswom Board administration.

The alleged gold loss case has been under investigation for nearly seven months.

Bail plea and wider probe also before court

Apart from reviewing the SIT's progress, the High Court is also scheduled to hear the state government's plea seeking cancellation of the bail granted to the temple's chief priest. The matter is being considered by a bench headed by Justice A Badharudeen.

All accused in the case are currently out on bail. Former Travancore Devaswom Board member K P Sankaradas was the last accused to secure bail after the SIT failed to file chargesheets within the prescribed period.

The High Court had earlier directed the SIT to investigate alleged irregularities across four phases of gold-plating-related work at the temple. These include the gold-plating undertaken in 1998, work on the sanctum doorway panels in 2019, the gold-plating of the Dwarapalaka idols, and their re-gold-plating in 2025.

The SIT has informed the court that 15 people have been named as accused in the case related to the Dwarapalaka idols, while 12 have been named in the case involving the sanctum doorway panels.