KOCHI: The Kerala High Court Devaswom Bench will once again consider the Sabarimala gold plating case today. The Devaswom Vigilance is expected to submit its preliminary investigation report, and a direction will be given to hand over the case to a special investigation team led by ADGP H. Venkatesh. The hearing is before a bench of Justice V Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice KV Jayakumar, based on a petition the court took up on its own.

Meanwhile, reports say that other valuable items are also missing from Sabarimala, making the audit ordered by the High Court significant. The audit will be led by Retired High Court Judge KT Sankaran, with the help of experts in jewellery and valuables.

Justice Sankaran said, “I have not told anyone that I will reach Sannidhanam on Saturday to start the audit. The proceedings will follow the confidentiality instructed by the High Court. The news reports on TV channels are incorrect.”

Court seeks CBI's stand

The Kerala High Court has postponed for three weeks the hearing of the petition seeking a CBI investigation into the missing gold plating from the Sabarimala temple’s Dwarapalaka (gatekeeper) idols.

The division bench comprising Justice V Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice K V Jayakumar directed the CBI to inform the court of its stand on the matter within that time.

The court noted that a special investigation team has already been appointed to conduct a comprehensive inquiry, as requested by the petitioner.

The petition was filed by R. Rajendran, a native of Kollam, seeking a CBI probe under the supervision of the High Court.