Kochi, Oct 7 The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the SIT probing the Sabarimala gold-loss cases to finalise the chargesheets and take all necessary steps to obtain the requisite sanctions for prosecution within the stipulated timelines.
A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to finalise the chargesheets and submit the request for prosecution sanction by October 25 in the case related to alleged misappropriation of gold from the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) and by November 25 in the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols gold-loss case.
The court passed the order after the SIT placed a draft chargesheet before it in the Sreekovil case and said the report from the National Metallurgical Laboratory of the samples collected from the gold-plated artefacts in Sabarimala will be available only by October 12.
The court noted that 292 witnesses have been cited in the draft chargesheet by the SIT and that the certified copy of the forensic results relating to the data analysis is yet to be obtained.
The SIT sought time till October 25 to finalise the chargesheet in the Sreekovil case and submit a request for prosecution sanction as provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act have also been invoked against the accused.
"Having gone through the draft chargesheet and the meticulous manner in which the investigation has been carried out by the Special Investigation Team, we are of the view that the time sought by the chief of the Special Investigation Team can be granted.
"Accordingly, time is granted up to October 25, 2026, for finalising the chargesheet and taking necessary steps for obtaining prosecution sanction in Crime No. 3701 (Sreekovil case) of 2025," the bench said.
In the Dwarapalaka case, the SIT told the court that the incidents that led
to the transportation of the Dwarapalakas in 2025 have also been clubbed along with the main offence of alleged misappropriation of gold.
It told the bench that since the analysis report from the National Metallurgical Laboratory is awaited, the chargesheet can be finalised and a request for prosecution sanction can be submitted on or before November 25.
"Having considered the facts and circumstances of the case and the nature and extent of the investigation that has been carried out, we are of the view that, insofar as Crime No. 3700 (Dwarapalakas case) of 2025 is concerned, appropriate directions can be issued to the Investigating Officer to finalise the chargesheet and submit a request for prosecution sanction on or before November 25, 2026," the court said.
The bench directed the SIT to adhere to the stipulated timelines and bring the investigation to its logical conclusion without any further delay.
With the directions, the court listed the matter for further hearing on October 26.
The SIT is probing two cases related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and the doorframes of the Sreekovil at Sabarimala.
It has arrested more than 15 people, including Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru and three former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) presidents, in the two cases.
