After the Enforcement Directorate (ED) obtained the Union Home Ministry’s permission to investigate the Sabarimala gold theft case, it has become certain that the agency will widen its probe to include big shots. There are indications that the ED may also move to seize the assets of those named as accused by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was reportedly prepared on January 7 and is likely to be submitted before the court in the coming days after the Investigating Officer is appointed.
The ED Additional Director will appoint the Investigating Officer, and those already arrested and accused by the SIT will also be named in the ECIR.
The first stage of the ED investigation likely to be the interrogation of Unnikrishnan Potti, former Tiruvitamcoor Devaswom Board president, CPM leader A. Padmakumar, and Administrative Officer B. Murari Babu, following prior permissions from the courts.
Their financial transactions during the period of the loot will be examined thoroughly. The focus will be on the source of the money, who handled it, and how the transactions were carried out.
The investigation is expected to touch the Devaswom Board presidents, members and senior officials who were calling the shots during the period of the fraud, including former Devaswom Minister and CPM leader Kadakampalli Surendran. Those who helped the fraudsters and those who got the booty will also be identified.
Big shots who were connected to the Devaswom Board during the days of the fraud will be interrogated too, provided sufficient evidence emerges; arrests may take place if required.
There are reports of preliminary examinations into the financial dealings of Unnikrishnan Potti, A. Padmakumar, B. Murari Babu, Pankaj Bhandari (Chennai-based Smart Creations) and Karnataka-based jeweller Govardhan, who are described as the main plotters of the gold loot. More documents, including bank records, will be collected by the investigation team.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has permitted the registration of the case based on details gathered by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) through the court and information from the ED’s preliminary inquiry.
With the ED’s entry, the case is set to take a new turn. It is a known fact that the state government is not entirely comfortable with an inquiry by a central agency. Meanwhile, the High Court is considering a petition seeking a CBI inquiry into the Sabarimala gold loot.
The communists, who claim to be atheists and undertake temple management operations, are known to deviate from established rituals and practices, and the Sabarimala gold case under CPM supremo and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan only points to the fact that they have no respect for Hindus and their sentiments.
