Sabarimala Gold Theft Probe: Final Report to Be Submitted Within 30 Days
KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday asked the SIT probing the alleged Sabarimala temple gold theft to submit its final report at the earliest.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K. V. Jayakumar issued the direction after reviewing a report submitted by Additional Director General of Police H. Venkitesh and interacting with SIT chief Sasidharan IPS, Superintendent of Police and Assistant Director of the Kerala Police Academy.
The court noted that the investigation was delayed because the SIT had to wait for the final scientific report from the CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur, which was received on July 6.
According to the court, the specialised scientific examination was essential to determine how the accused allegedly removed the gold cladding from the copper plates, the quantity of gold allegedly stolen, and the plates' originality, composition and metallurgical characteristics.
The NML report provides a detailed scientific explanation of the alleged method used to strip the gold from the copper plates. It also helped investigators identify the quality and quantity of gold originally used on the plates and the amount of gold utilised for nano-gold plating at Smart Creations, giving investigators a scientific basis to understand the alleged modus operandi.
The laboratory also examined the stripping salt seized from Smart Creations to determine whether it could remove the gold cladding in the manner alleged by the prosecution. SIT officials visited the NML between July 9 and July 11 and recorded statements from the scientists who conducted the examinations.
The SIT informed the High Court that the investigation in one of the cases has been substantially completed and that the final report can be filed within 30 days. It added that the required prosecution sanction would be sought from the competent authority after the report is filed.
The investigation team also informed the court that transactions related to the alleged gold theft during September 2025 have been included in the ongoing probe. The scientific findings from the NML have provided fresh insights into those transactions as well.
The SIT said it has examined 54 witnesses in connection with the 2025 transactions and assured the court that the final report would be filed without further delay, while requesting additional time to complete certain confidential aspects of the investigation.
The High Court observed that the prosecution's case is primarily based on scientific and forensic evidence rather than only eyewitness or circumstantial evidence. It also noted that no other laboratory in the country has the specialised infrastructure and expertise required to carry out such advanced metallurgical examinations.
Appreciating the contribution of the National Metallurgical Laboratory, the court said its scientific analysis had significantly assisted the progress of the investigation.
The High Court directed the SIT to complete the remaining investigation and file the final report before the jurisdictional court at the earliest. The case has been posted for further consideration on September 3.