Kerala Opposition Leader Criticizes SIT in Sabarimala Gold Theft Case

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Himanshu Tiwari

Kerala Opposition Leader Criticizes SIT in Sabarimala Gold Theft Case

Varkala, March 4: In a recent statement, VD Satheesan, the leader of the opposition in the Kerala Assembly, accused the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of deliberately undermining the Sabarimala gold theft case. He highlighted that the main accused, senior CPI-M leader A. Padmakumar, was granted statutory bail due to the SIT’s failure to file a chargesheet within 90 days.

Satheesan explained that if the investigation agency fails to submit a chargesheet based on the crime within 60 or 90 days, the accused is entitled to default bail, a fundamental right that activates once the stipulated period expires, provided the accused applies for it.

He alleged that this situation led to Padmakumar’s release, claiming that the SIT, with support from the Chief Minister’s office, created conditions that facilitated this outcome. He further noted that the opposition had previously warned of such a possibility.

Referring to the ongoing gold theft case, Satheesan mentioned that out of the 13 individuals imprisoned, eight have been granted bail. He cautioned that politically influential individuals released on bail might tamper with or destroy evidence.

He pointed out that investigators failed to gather crucial evidence while the accused were in custody. Now that they are out, any remaining chances of securing evidence have likely vanished.

According to Satheesan, the case risks losing both momentum and relevance, potentially concluding without accountability. He also claimed that all those charged in the case have ties to the CPI-M, and the investigation has not reached individuals he believes should have been arrested.

He asserted that there appears to be a clear attempt to shield the actual culprits. If those in custody speak out, more names could emerge. What is unfolding, he suggested, is a conspiracy to protect those involved.

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