Sabarimala Gold Theft Probe Nears End After 11 Months, Final Report Soon

Thiruvananthapuram: Eleven months after the Special Investigation Team began probing the Sabarimala gold theft case, the investigation is finally nearing completion, with the SIT informing the Kerala High Court that its final report will be submitted before September 25.SIT chief S Sasidharan told the court that the investigation into the Kattillappali (gold-clad door frame) case has been completed, while the probe into the Dwarapalaka idol case is in its final stage. The remaining scientific examination results will be incorporated before the final report is filed before the trial court, he said, submitting a detailed report of the investigation.The Kerala High Court's Devaswom Bench expressed satisfaction with the progress of the investigation but made it clear that there should be no further delay in filing the final report, since the investigation has now been underway for nearly 11 months.Earlier in July, Devaswom minister K Muraleedharan had publicly flagged the delay, saying arrests alone would not amount to a chargesheet and that he would convey his displeasure to the court if the chargesheet was not filed.Former Devaswom Board President Gets BailMeanwhile, former Travancore Devaswom Board president PS Prasanth has been granted bail on medical grounds by a vigilance court in a related case concerning the Dwarapalaka idol.Prasanth will walk out of jail 43 days after his arrest.The case relates to the Dwarapalaka idol being taken to Chennai in 2025 without the court's permission.According to the SIT case, there was a deliberate attempt in 2025, under Prasanth's leadership, to conceal the alleged gold theft that took place in 2019.