The Enforcement Directorate (ED) moved the Vigilance court in Kollam on Friday seeking case records, including the FIR, in the Sabarimala gold misappropriation case.
The petition stated that alleged acts of document forgery, misappropriation of temple gold, and suspected money laundering linked to the Sabarimala temple amount to offences under Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code, a scheduled offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
It added that public servants are also involved in the case, which is being probed by the Crime Branch. Such persons have been charged under Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1998, the agency submitted.
The agency further stated that it is prima facie satisfied that the proceeds of crime is possessed by (the prime accused) Unnikrishnan Potty and others by committing a scheduled offence. ” The Enforcement Directorate is duty bound to collect the materials to ascertain the involvement of money laundering.” It also stated in its application that the documents would remain confidential and not be used for any other purpose.
The court directed the public prosecutor to file objections, if any, and posted the matter for further consideration on December 10.
The ED approached the Vigilance court after the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Ranni, dismissed its application for the documents in the particular case. The agency challenged the order before the Kerala High Court, following which the case was transferred to the Vigilance court.
Published – December 05, 2025 08:51 pm IST
