Sabarimala gold theft case: High Court to resume hearing on Monday as new government takes charge

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court is set to resume its hearing on the high-profile Sabarimala gold theft case this Monday, following a 50-day recess. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is expected to brief the court on the status of its final chargesheet.

In a striking political coincidence, the case—which implicates several prominent LDF leaders—comes back to the fore on the very day the incoming UDF government officially assumes power. Political analysts note, however, that the new administration's hands will be tied; since the probe is strictly overseen by the High Court’s dedicated Devaswom Bench, the government cannot intervene in the proceedings or reshuffle the SIT roster without judicial clearance. The state's role will likely be limited to providing administrative logistics to speed up the inquiry.

The timeline of the investigation has been severely bottlenecked by a backlog at the central laboratory. During its last sitting on March 26, the High Court granted the SIT an extension because the National Metallurgical Laboratory in Jamshedpur had not yet released the forensic results of a second set of metal samples scraped from the Sannidhanam’s Dwarapala (guardian deity) sculptures. This procedural delay ultimately allowed the accused to walk out on statutory bail.

Nevertheless, the High Court has thrown its full weight behind the investigators. The Devaswom Bench previously observed that the temporary release of the accused does not dilute the gravity of the offences, reiterating that gathering airtight scientific evidence is paramount to securing a conviction during the trial.

Lengthy legal battle shead

The SIT is currently juggling two separate FIRs concerning the pilferage of gold from the temple's guardian idols and sanctum door frames, with missing gold estimated at around 1,700 grams. While draft chargesheets have already been drawn up, prosecutors cannot move forward without the definitive report from the Jamshedpur facility.

Should the forensic analysis confirm that the authentic gold plating was entirely stripped and substituted, investigators will need to initiate a fresh round of custodial interrogations. Before a final chargesheet can be formally presented to the trial court, the SIT must clear a series of bureaucratic hurdles, including securing government sanction for prosecution and obtaining final clearance from the High Court. Given these complexities, legal experts anticipate that the High Court will grant the SIT another extension on Monday.