Kochi, Feb 3 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday began its first round of questioning in the Sabarimala gold robbery case, with former Travancore Devaswom Board administrative officer Murari Babu appearing before the agency’s Kochi office. The ED’s move comes at a crucial juncture, just as the High Court–appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) is preparing to file its charge sheet in the case.Murari Babu was summoned for questioning in connection with the Dwarapalaka and Katt…
Latest Sabarimala temple News & Updates
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 2 (IANS) A fresh controversy has erupted at the Sabarimala temple, already under scrutiny in connection with the gold heist case, with a Devaswom Vigilance investigation finding that a film shoot was conducted in violation of restrictions at the holy shrine and its surroundings.According to an inquiry report submitted by Superintendent of Police, Devaswom Vigilance, Sunil Kumar, shooting for a feature film took place over multiple days at Pampa and nearby areas.The report…
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 25 (IANS) The CPI(M) on Sunday reiterated its full support for the ongoing investigation into the Sabarimala gold theft case, rejecting allegations by the Congress that the Kerala government was attempting to derail the probe by influencing the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the High Court.Speaking to the media, CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan said the party’s position on the issue had been consistent from the very beginning. “We have supported the…
Kochi, Jan 21 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) member K.P. Sankaradas, who is in judicial custody in connection with the Sabarimala gold misappropriation case, even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) widened its probe into what it described as a well-orchestrated money-laundering operation involving temple assets.The court directed the constitution of a medical board to assess Sankaradas’s health condition and examine whethe…
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 (IANS) The Sabarimala temple gold theft case took a significant legal turn on Tuesday with the Kollam Vigilance Court granting statutory bail to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti in the case relating to the alleged replacement and theft of ‘dwarapalaka (guardians)’ gold plates.The bail was granted after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a charge sheet within the mandatory 90-day period following his arrest.The court order entitles the accused to defaul…
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 (IANS) The political temperature in Kerala rose sharply on Tuesday as the BJP escalated its campaign over the Sabarimala gold theft case, organising protest marches to the residences of two key CPI(M) leaders — former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran in Thiruvananthapuram and incumbent Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan in Kottayam.The protests came amid growing scrutiny of the alleged gold smuggling from the Sabarimala temple, a case that has triggered parallel …
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16 (IANS) A 2012 order issued by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) Commissioner, which surfaced on Friday, has come under sharp focus in the wake of the Sabarimala gold heist case, raising serious questions about the 2017 handing over of the temple’s ‘Vajivahanam’ to the arrested tantri, Kantarar Rajeevar, who is in judicial custody.In 2017, the then UDF-appointed Travancore Devaswom Board, headed by former Congress MLA Prayar Gopalakrishnan, handed over the Vajivahan…
Kochi, Jan 15 (IANS) The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Thursday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged financial irregularities in the sale of Adiya Sishtam Ghee at the Sabarimala temple, acting on strong observations and directions issued by the Kerala High Court earlier this week.The special team will be headed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Mahesh Kumar.The development comes at a time when Sabarimala is already under intense public and institutional…
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 13 (IANS) Stepping up its protest against the alleged gold theft at the Sabarimala temple, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will light the ‘Sabarimala Protection Jyoti’ at more than 10,000 centres across Kerala on Wednesday evening, coinciding with the Makara Sankranti and Makara Jyoti day.The statewide programme, titled ‘Ayyappa Jyoti at homes and in localities’, will be held at 6 pm, with lakhs of BJP workers and supporters expected to participate.Lamps will be lit at B…
Kochi, Jan 13 (IANS) The Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Kerala High Court is set to arrest Sabarimala ‘Tantri (priest)’ K Rajeevar in a second case, following fresh permission granted by the vigilance court, further deepening the high-profile investigation into alleged irregularities linked to the Sabarimala temple.The SIT has so far filed two separate charge sheets, naming 15 individuals as accused.The tantri was arrested last week in connection with one of the cases register…