The Kollam Vigilance Court has directed that all records related to the Sabarimala gold scam be handed over to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), paving the way for a central agency probe into the case.
The court ordered that documents including the First Information Statement (FIS) and other records connected to cases currently under investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) be transferred to the ED. The order comes after rejecting the stand taken by both the state government and the SIT, which had opposed an ED investigation in the matter.
The ED had earlier approached the Vigilance Court and the Kerala High Court seeking access to the case records. However, the government had maintained that there was no violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) in the case. The High Court subsequently directed the ED to approach the lower court for the required documents, following which the agency moved the Kollam Vigilance Court.
Arguing before the court, the ED pointed to allegations of international transactions and confirmed instances of dealings outside the state, asserting that these factors prima facie indicate money laundering. Accepting this contention, the court ordered the transfer of records to facilitate further action.
Following the court’s directive, the ED is now expected to register an ECIR at its Kochi Zonal Office and formally launch an investigation. The case has drawn political attention as it involves accused persons allegedly linked to the state government and the CPI(M).
The court’s order marks a crucial turn in the Sabarimala gold scam case, opening the door for a full-fledged ED probe into the alleged financial irregularities.
