KOCHI: A single bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday criticised the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft for not arresting K P Sankar Das, an accused in the case. Sankar Das is a former member of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
“A person has been admitted to a hospital ever since he was arraigned an accused in the case. His son is a Superintendent of Police. What nonsense is happening in this state? I completely disagree with the investigating officer,” Justice A Badharudeen said.
While hearing the bail petitions of former TDB president A Padmakumar, former administrative officer Murari Babu, Bellary-based jeweller Govardhan and other accused, the single bench suggested that the Additional Director General of Prosecution recommend to the state government the enactment of a law to protect temple properties that would also contain penal provisions for dereliction of duty.
“The government should have a specific statute because many temples have properties, and people who are in and around them, in one way or another, misappropriate the same. Many such cases are coming up,” the court observed.
The court also questioned the role of the TDB, asking, “Why did the board permit Unnikrishnan Potti to do everything? Then what is the duty of the board? It is as good as having no devaswom board. That would be better.” The prosecution submitted that Padmakumar, while serving as TDB president, committed grave official misconduct by deliberately making false entries in official correspondence.
Senior advocate P Vijayabhanu, appearing for Padmakumar, argued that the corrections were not made deliberately and that the only allegation pertained to a violation of the Devaswom Manual, which did not constitute a penal offence. After hearing the arguments of all parties, the court reserved its order on the bail pleas.