Kerala High Court Pushes For Fast Prosecution Sanction In Sabarimala Gold Theft Case

The Kerala High Court has directed authorities to expedite prosecution sanction in the Sabarimala gold theft case, clearing the way for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to file its chargesheet and ensure that the trial begins without further delay.

The case concerns the alleged theft of gold from the doorframe panels of the sanctum sanctorum at Sabarimala Temple.

A Division Bench comprising Justices V Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV  Jayakumar, which is monitoring the investigation, stressed that the prosecution sanction process must be completed expeditiously to prevent delays in the commencement of the trial.

The case has 13 accused, including former Travancore Devaswom Board governing body members, officials and Unnikrishnan Potty, a key accused in the gold theft investigation.

Of the 13 accused, prosecution sanction is required in the case of 10.

The Revenue and Devaswom Secretary must grant sanction in respect of four accused, while the Travancore Devaswom Board is the competent authority to approve prosecution of the remaining six.

Investigating officer S. Sasidharan informed the High Court that the SIT would file the chargesheet before the competent court immediately after obtaining the necessary sanctions.

In another significant development, the SIT informed the court that the Assistant Legal Adviser had already approved the draft chargesheet and provided the necessary legal opinion.

This indicates that the investigation has reached an advanced stage, with prosecution sanction now emerging as the key procedural requirement before the final report can be submitted.

The High Court made it clear that the process must be accelerated to facilitate an early trial in the case, which has triggered widespread controversy over the suspected misappropriation of gold from one of Kerala's most revered temples.

The SIT has been investigating the roles of former Devaswom Board office-bearers, officials and contractors connected with the gold-plating works at Sabarimala.

With the draft chargesheet already cleared by the legal adviser, the focus now shifts to the state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board to grant the necessary prosecution sanctions without delay.