Kochi: The Kerala High Court has accepted a petition from the Vishva Hindu Parishad requesting a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the missing gold case at Sabarimala temple. The petition also calls for thorough audits of valuable items held by Kerala's four devaswom boards, those governing Travancore, Cochin, Malabar, and Guruvayur temples. The VHP, founded in 1964 to safeguard Hindu religious practices and address temple administration issues, filed this petition citing multiple recent allegations of mishandling precious items across Kerala's statutory temple boards.

During the hearing, Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar heard from Malabar Devaswom representatives who clarified their oversight structure. They explained that while the board supervises over 1,008 temples, individual trustees manage each temple directly. The bench suggested the petitioner consider adding these trustees as parties to the case, observing that given the nature of the requests made, their inclusion might be necessary. 

VHP Says SIT Can't Ensure Impartiality 

The VHP raised concerns about the composition of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) examining the Sabarimala matter. They questioned whether inspectors Aneesh and Biju Radhakrishnan should be involved, given their previous service in Devaswom Vigilance during the period when the alleged irregularities took place. Since the Dwarapalaka idols connected to the case were transported across state borders, the petitioner argued that a central investigating agency working under court oversight would ensure impartiality. 

The petition references media coverage highlighting similar incidents at other temples, including Sree Poornathrayeesa temple in Thrippunithura, where precious items had reportedly gone missing. The organisation also sought production of handover documents (mahazars) from the past two decades, created when temple officers transferred responsibilities. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on November 17.

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