Sabarimala gold theft: Kerala High Court allows expansion of SIT – India Legal

The Kerala Excessive Courtroom on Tuesday permitted the induction of two further officers into the Particular Investigation Staff (SIT) fashioned to probe the alleged removing of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols, temple constructions and fixtures on the Sabarimala shrine, positioned in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala.

The Trip Bench of Justice Ziyad Rahman AA and Justice MB Snehalatha handed the order after perusing a report submitted by the pinnacle of the SIT looking for inclusion of two extra officers within the rank of Circle Inspector (CI) to the group on grounds of complexity, scale and technical dimensions of the case.

The Excessive Courtroom famous that the request merited approval and accordingly granted permission for the growth of the probe group. The SIT had been constituted by the Excessive Courtroom in train of its extraordinary jurisdiction beneath Article 226 of the Structure, in suo motu proceedings initiated on the premise of a report filed by the Courtroom-appointed Particular Commissioner.

The Commissioner’s report had flagged severe irregularities within the dealing with of gold-clad copper sheets affixed to the Dwarapalaka idols and the Peedam on which the idols have been put in. It famous that the removing of those sacred coverings had allegedly been carried out with out prior intimation to, or approval of, the Courtroom, elevating considerations over procedural propriety and custodial oversight.

It famous that the alleged acts attracted scrutiny not solely from the standpoint of felony breach of belief and theft, probably invoking provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (comparable to erstwhile Sections 378 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code), but in addition in relation to violations of statutory regimes governing Devaswom administration and fiduciary accountability within the administration of temple property.

The Excessive Courtroom had earlier granted the SIT a further six weeks to finish the investigation, recording submissions {that a} scientific and forensic examination, as directed by the Courtroom to evaluate the extent of loss, substitution, or tampering, had been initiated. Noting that investigations involving public non secular establishments functioning beneath statutory supervision required heightened procedural rigour, it noticed that judicial oversight of SITs in delicate issues serves to bolster public confidence within the investigative course of.

The Trip Bench listed the matter for additional listening to on January 14, 2026, indicating that it might evaluate the progress of the investigation and assess compliance with its earlier instructions on the following date of listening to.