Sabarimala Gold Case: Minister Flags Doubts as ED Raids 21 Locations
Kerala minister expresses doubts about ED raids: Reports
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan on Tuesday voiced doubts about the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids taking place during the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the Sabarimala gold theft case.
The minister said the government is open to all investigations and that the probe by SIT, formed by the Kerala High Court, is progressing well. Vasavan also claimed the ED’s credibility is currently in question, pointing out that the officer who handled a case against the Kerala Chief Minister was dismissed over bribery charges.
He added that the SIT’s investigation into the gold theft is moving forward effectively.
Vasavan said there could be various motives behind the ED probe and that everyone should be brought under its scope, whether it’s the Thantri (chief priest) or the Mantri. He added there’s no need to direct the investigation as it’s being handled by the SIT, not the government.
His remarks come amid widespread ED raids across the country, linked to black money transactions in the Sabarimala gold robbery case. The ED searched the homes of all accused in the theft, with raids conducted at 21 locations across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
Searches were conducted at the homes of the accused, including Unnikrishnan Potty, Murari Babu, A Padmakumar, N Vasu, and others, as well as at the businesses of gold merchant Govardhan and Smart Creations CEO Pankaj Bhandari.
The ED team also visited the Devaswom Board headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram and carried out raids at Govardhan’s jewellery shop in Bengaluru and Potty’s residence in Srirampura, Bengaluru.