Sabarimala gold loss: ED to register money laundering case soon

Kollam (Kerala): The ED will register a case under the PMLA in connection with the Sabarimala gold loss incident after a court here on Friday allowed the agency to obtain copies of documents filed by the police Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Sources told PTI that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will obtain copies of two FIRs registered by the police in connection with the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates and the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) from the Kollam Vigilance Court.

The agency will also receive copies of remand reports filed by the SIT against the seven arrested persons, reports filed while altering charges in the case, and First Information Statements, they said.

“The ED will get certified copies of the documents from the court today itself. Without delay, a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) will be registered,” the sources said.

The police documents are essential for registering the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), sources said.

The ED has already conducted a preliminary probe into the incident.

“It is prima facie satisfied that ‘proceeds of crime’ are in possession of Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, and others by committing the scheduled offence. The ED is duty-bound to collect materials to ascertain the involvement of money laundering,” the agency stated in its petition.

The SIT had opposed the ED’s request, arguing that a parallel investigation would affect its probe.

However, the Vigilance court noted that the ED’s request was legitimate, as it is the agency authorised to investigate the money laundering aspect of the case.

The ED had earlier approached a magistrate court in Ranni, Pathanamthitta, seeking copies of the documents, but the request was rejected.

The national agency then approached the Kerala High Court, which directed it to file the petition before the Kollam Vigilance Court, currently handling proceedings in the two SIT cases.

The SIT has so far arrested seven persons, including two former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board, who are associated with the CPI(M).

The BJP has been demanding a CBI probe to ensure an impartial investigation into the incident, and the party’s state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has approached the Kerala High Court in this regard.