The Kerala High Court on Tuesday permitted the induction of two additional officers into the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the alleged removal of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols, temple structures and fixtures at the Sabarimala shrine, located in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala.
The Vacation Bench of Justice Ziyad Rahman AA and Justice MB Snehalatha passed the order after perusing a report submitted by the head of the SIT seeking inclusion of two more officers in the rank of Circle Inspector (CI) to the team on grounds of complexity, scale and technical dimensions of the case.
The High Court noted that the request merited approval and accordingly granted permission for the expansion of the probe team. The SIT had been constituted by the High Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution, in suo motu proceedings initiated on the basis of a report filed by the Court-appointed Special Commissioner.
The Commissioner’s report had flagged serious irregularities in the handling of gold-clad copper sheets affixed to the Dwarapalaka idols and the Peedam on which the idols were installed. It noted that the removal of these sacred coverings had allegedly been carried out without prior intimation to, or approval of, the Court, raising concerns over procedural propriety and custodial oversight.
It noted that the alleged acts attracted scrutiny not only from the standpoint of criminal breach of trust and theft, potentially invoking provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (corresponding to erstwhile Sections 378 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code), but also in relation to violations of statutory regimes governing Devaswom administration and fiduciary accountability in the management of temple assets.
The High Court had earlier granted the SIT an additional six weeks to complete the investigation, recording submissions that a scientific and forensic examination, as directed by the Court to assess the extent of loss, substitution, or tampering, had been initiated. Noting that investigations involving public religious institutions functioning under statutory supervision required heightened procedural rigour, it observed that judicial oversight of SITs in sensitive matters serves to reinforce public confidence in the investigative process.
The Vacation Bench listed the matter for further hearing on January 14, 2026, indicating that it would review the progress of the investigation and assess compliance with its earlier directions on the next date of hearing.
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