The Kerala High Court has ordered that the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) may end the 2017 renovation/installation of a new flagpole at the Sabarimala temple.
The court expressed satisfaction with the manner in which the investigation was conducted and said it was inclined to accept the preliminary investigation report submitted by the VACB.
“We find that the VACB has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation. The report reveals that as per the devaswom mazars and records, it has been proved that a total of 412.010 gm of gold was received from the devotees for the construction of the flagpole at Sabarimala. Based on the preliminary investigation and documentary documents collected, no criminal or unauthorized material was found. criminal breach of trust in relation to the gold donated by the devotees on flagpole installation process in 2017,” he said.
We will give SIT more time
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has given more time to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged gold embezzlement of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple to submit its report to the court.
The gold samples collected by the SIT (from the “pristine” plate of the corner pillar, the gilded plates of the side pillars and the plates of the Dwarapalaka idols) were sent to the National Metallurgical Laboratory at Jamshedpur for scientific analysis.
The SIT submitted to the court that the laboratory informed that the results can be provided only in the last week of April as these are complex and specialized procedures. Subsequently, the court sent the case for further consideration on May 18. The court had earlier this year directed the SIT to conclude the investigation on or before March 31.
“Due to the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, if the lab report is not received, it will not be possible for the SIT to submit a final and definitive report. Accordingly, we are willing to grant it more time to conclude the investigation,” a member of the court’s department said, adding that he was satisfied that the investigation was being conducted in a proper and systematic manner.
Published – 26 March 2026 21:39 IST
