Kochi: The ED has moved the Kerala High Court challenging the Magistrate Court’s order refusing access to the FIR filed in the Sabarimala Temple gold robbery case in Kerala, Times of India reported.
The court in Pathanamthitta
dismissed ED’s plea citing the sensitivity of the case which is investigated by a special investigation team (SIT) set up by the High Court which is monitoring the probe.
In its plea in the High Court, the ED contended that the Magistrate Court order denies a statutory investigating agency access to a public document required for a lawful investigation under a special statute.
The ED further stated that the gold was converted for personal gain generating “proceeds of crime” as defined under Section 2(1)(u) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED argued that it was the sole authority empowered to investigate money laundering connected to scheduled offences.
The ED argued that it is duty-bound to initiate an inquiry under the PMLA to trace, identify and attach the proceeds of crime arising from the alleged acts.
Meanwhile, Kerala High Court on Friday prevented the SIT from Devaswom Board (TDB) secretary S Jayasree, the fourth accused in the case, until Nov 18 on health grounds.
HC issued the interim order in the anticipatory bail petition filed by Jayasree, whose anticipatory
bail was dismissed by the Pathanamthitta sessions court on Thursday.
Jayasree had served as TDB secretary from July 3, 2017, to Dec 6, 2019, and later as Thiruvabharanam commissioner until her retirement on May 31, 2020.
The FIR accused her of allegedly issuing orders to hand over the golden articles valuable to Unnikrishnan Potti resulting in the robbery.
However, Jayasree stated in her petition that she had only acted in accordance with the board’s decision.
She also produced medical records showing that she underwent a kidney transplant in 2013 and has been on medication since then.
ED wants to probe Sabarimala gold case
