HC harshly criticizes SIT for not filing chargesheet in gold theft case

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has severely criticized the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the Sabarimala gold theft case, expressing dissatisfaction over the failure to file a chargesheet within the mandatory 90-day period. The court criticized the SIT after the accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case is being released on statutory bail.

Former devaswom administrative officer Murari Babu, an accused in the Dwarapalaka and the door frames cases, was released on statutory bail. Unnikrishnan Potty, the main accused in both the cases, had been granted bail in the Dwarapalaka case. On February 2, it will be 90 days since Potty was arrested in the door frame case as well. It was in this context the court criticized the Special Investigation Team.

Pankaj Bhandari, CEO of Smart Creations, an accused in both the cases, had filed a plea in the high court seeking his release. The single bench of Justice Badaruddin criticized the SIT while considering this plea. Pankaj Bhandari had filed the plea stating that he had already given his statement six times before becoming an accused in the case, that he had cooperated with the investigation and that his arrest was not necessary. However, the court clarified that the arrest is necessary, but the arrested accused should be given all the rights that they are entitled to as per the Supreme Court verdict.

As the chargesheet has not been filed, the court asked shouldn’t the investigation team intervene to prevent the accused from getting bail and being released. However, the investigation team argues that there are many hurdles to prepare the chargesheet. Documents have been seized from the devaswom board offices, and now scientific evidence proving the crime must be obtained. The SIT makes it clear that even if the accused are released, the priority is to ensure that they are given appropriate punishment.