The Congress on Tuesday accused the Kerala Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) of interfering in the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the Sabarimala gold loss case. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the CMO deputed two IPS officers to exert undue pressure on the SIT conducting the investigation. Addressing the media in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Satheesan said the Opposition had so far refrained from naming the officers out of propriety but warned that he would disclose their identities if the pressure on investigators continued. He stressed that the probe must remain fair and impartial and said the Opposition was closely monitoring its progress.
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Congress alleges Kerala CMO is influencing Sabarimala SIT probe via IPS officers
Mr. Satheesan said the investigation moved forward only because of the Kerala High Court’s intervention. He clarified that the Opposition had not expressed any lack of confidence in the SIT and said it expected the authorities to bring the real culprits to justice at the earliest. He said the Opposition would wait a few more days to assess the probe’s progress and warned that continued lapses could prompt demands for a CBI investigation.
SIT is probing the loss of gold and related irregularities at the Sabarimala temple. Investigators have arrested several individuals so far, including two former TDB presidents. The SIT recently told a vigilance court that Pankaj Bhandari of Smart Creations and Ballari-based jeweller Govardhan Roddam played a central role in the alleged conspiracy to steal gold from temple artefacts, and officers arrested both men last week.