Tuesday’s Kerala High Court session turned into a reckoning for the SIT investigating gold pilferage from Sabarimala. Justice A. Badaruddin’s bench unleashed a barrage of criticism over sluggish charge sheet filings, which are enabling statutory bails and fueling doubts on the probe’s efficacy.
With 13 arrests from two filed charge sheets, the scenario took a hit as one accused slipped out on legal bail. The court painted a grim picture: such procedural defaults not only liberate culprits but shatter citizen confidence in law enforcement. ‘Public trust wanes, and probe seriousness comes under the scanner,’ the judge asserted.
Key names in the crosshairs include Murari Babu, late Devaswom Board official charged in dual cases, already bailed out statutorily. Unnikrishnan Potti mirrors this in Dwarapalika (bailed) and nears the same in Kattilppala by early February. The bench interrogated the SIT’s inaction in forestalling these escapes.
Context arose from Pankaj Bhandari’s bail bid; the Smart Creations head touted six prior statements as proof of collaboration, questioning his arrest’s necessity. The court rebuffed postponement but affirmed entitlements to constitutional protections, aligning with apex court rulings.
Countering critiques, SIT detailed challenges: seized documents from board offices await integration, while pivotal scientific evidence lags. Despite bail releases, the commitment to prosecute and punish endures, officials stressed.
Political temperatures soared in the assembly with CM Vijayan and V.D. Satheesan trading barbs. Outside, two opposition legislators demonstrated, charging CM’s covert influence. This confluence of judicial pressure and political heat signals a critical juncture, demanding expedited justice for the temple’s pilfered gold.