Granting statutory bail to the accused after the 90-day remand period will not scuttle the probe into the alleged gold embezzlement of the Sabarimala temple, the Kerala High Court said on Wednesday. The investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is progressing in the right direction, the court added.
The remarks were made by the court while hearing a plea filed by state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged loss of gold.
A Bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar noted that they constituted an SIT and started the investigation, which continued to be under its supervision. He further observed that the case was complex and extraordinary in nature and required careful scrutiny of procedural and other details, especially as the SIT was dealing with multiple layers of transactions involving several individuals.
Three get bail
As for three of the 13 accused who were granted statutory bail after completing their 90-day remand, the court said it would not weaken the prosecution. He observed that the SIT is made up of capable police officers and added that a CBI investigation cannot be ordered in all cases, especially as the personnel deputed by the central agency often come from the same state police.
In his plea filed in December, Mr. Chandrasekhar said several individuals and establishments in different states were involved in the alleged gold embezzlement, which could hamper the effectiveness of the SIT’s probe. He argued that a central agency like the CBI would be better placed to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Responding to the Thiruvananthapuram court’s comments, Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan said that the Division Bench itself had responded to those who were spreading lies that the government was facilitating the release of the accused without filing charges.
Published – 04 Feb 2026 20:22 IST