Sabarimala gold loss case: Kerala HC directs SIT to expedite probe

The Kerala High Court was informed that the SIT probing the Sabarimala gold loss case will file a chargesheet in the doorframe case by September 25. The court directed investigators to expedite the remaining probe, including the Dwarapalaka idol case

Kochi: The SIT probing the Sabarimala gold loss case on Thursday informed the Kerala High Court that the chargesheet in one of the two cases would be filed on or before September 25.

The case came up before a division bench comprising Justices R A Raja Vijay Raghavan and K V Jayakumar. Special Investigation Team (SIT) head S Sasidharan appeared before the court as part of the proceedings.

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The SIT is probing two cases related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol and the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum). The SIT submitted that the investigation into the gold loss from the doorframes was almost complete.

Sasidharan submitted that the stripping salt as well as the cleaning salt involved in both cases had been forwarded to the National Metallurgical Laboratory for examination and that the results were expected within two weeks.

The SIT said it was hopeful of completing the remaining formalities and filing the final report before the jurisdictional court. Regarding the Dwarapalaka idol case, the SIT submitted that since the investigation into events that occurred in 2025 had also been clubbed with the case, certain further steps were required to be taken.

The SIT said the investigation could be concluded without any further delay. “Having perused the detailed report placed before us and the steps taken by the Investigating Agency thus far, we find that the investigation has proceeded substantially and that the remaining steps are required to be completed expeditiously so that the matter can be brought to its logical conclusion,” the court observed.

The court directed the SIT to expedite the remaining steps in the Dwarapalaka case, complete the investigation at the earliest and file the final report before the jurisdictional court without any further delay. The court also directed the SIT to submit the chargesheet in the doorframe case on or before September 25.