Kerala High Court Declines Intervention in Sabarimala Gold Theft Probe; CBI Plea Deferred
The Kerala High Court on Friday declined to intervene in the investigation into the alleged gold theft linked to the Sabarimala Temple, noting that the probe is being conducted by a competent officer under the supervision of the court.
The observation came while the court was hearing a petition seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the incident, commonly referred to as the Sabarimala gold theft case.
A Devaswom Bench of the High Court noted that the investigation is being carried out by “one of the best investigating officers in the state,” and therefore there is no immediate reason to transfer the probe to a central agency.
The Bench emphasised that the court would intervene only if circumstances arise that require judicial interference.
The court also clarified that remarks made by the trial court while granting bail to the accused cannot, by themselves, be treated 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 supervision. It stressed that the judiciary must rely strictly on the evidence 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 narratives circulating in the public domain. Instead, they must be guided by legal principles and the material placed before the court.
The petition seeking a CBI probe has been listed for further consideration after one week, with the court stating that it will 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 drawn considerable public attention in recent weeks, prompting calls from some quarters for a CBI inquiry.
Meanwhile, of the 13 accused named in two charge sheets filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), nine have already secured bail.
The probe is currently being carried out by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), with the High Court monitoring its progress as the matter remains under judicial scrutiny.