High Court Grants SIT One-Month Extension for Sabarimala Gold Theft Investigation

Kochi: The High Court has granted a one-month extension to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to complete the investigation procedures in the Sabarimala gold theft case. An interim progress report of the investigation was also submitted to the court. The High Court further directed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) can once again approach the Magistrate Court for a copy of the Crime Branch FIR in the case.

The High Court quashed the Magistrate Court’s order denying the FIR. The ED has been instructed to file a fresh application with the Magistrate Court, detailing the reasons. The SIT had requested an additional month to complete the investigation. With the court’s order, the SIT can continue its probe in this case until the first week of January.

More details following the arrest of A. Padmakumar have been submitted to the court as an interim investigation progress report. The High Court Division Bench thoroughly examined this interim report. The proceedings took place in a closed court. After reviewing the report, the court approved the SIT’s request. The SIT also informed the court of the necessity to extend the investigation to more individuals, including prominent figures.

Earlier, the court had granted the investigation team six weeks, a deadline that has already expired. The petitions were considered by a Division Bench comprising Justices V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and K.V. Jayakumar.