Kerala HC expresses satisfaction over SIT probe into Sabarimala gold misappropriation cases
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The Kerala High Court on Wednesday observed that the SIT probe into the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala temple was progressing well and currently, there was no need to hand over the investigation to the CBI.
The observations by the court came while hearing a batch of petitions, including one by BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, seeking the handing over of the probe to the CBI.
A bench of justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar said it was aware of the work being done by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was putting in a lot of effort, according to court sources.
The observations will be a setback for the Congress-led UDF opposition, which has been claiming that the Chief Minister's Office was interfering and pressurising the SIT, leading to a delay in the filing of the charge sheet.
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The UDF has been holding protests in the state Assembly on the issue and disrupted the House on Tuesday and Wednesday by raising the matter.
At the same time, the court expressing a positive outlook regarding the probe, supports the ruling LDF's claims that the investigation was progressing properly.
The bench also said that the SIT was a good unit with competent officers and they will not demoralise them by questioning their work, the sources said.
The court also pointed out that it was actively monitoring the investigation and was aware of all the things unearthed by the SIT, they said.
The SIT is probing two cases related to the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala.
It has made 12 arrests in the cases till date, and of the arrested accused, three are out on statutory bail due to the delay in filing the charge sheet within the stipulated time of 90 days from arrest.
Prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty has also secured statutory bail in both cases and is expected to be released once he executes the bail bonds.
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Karnataka Assembly to deploy special educators for hearing-impaired children, says U T Khader
Bengaluru: Karnataka Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader on Tuesday said that special education teachers will be deployed from the next Assembly session to help hearing-impaired children understand the proceedings, The New Indian Express reported.
The Speaker made the announcement after a group of children with hearing impairment from the N.K. Ganapaiah Rotary School for the Physically Challenged in Sakleshpur, Hassan district, visited the Assembly to watch the proceedings. These children can understand everything through sign languages.
“We need to feel proud and respect these kids who have shown interest to see the house proceedings. To make them understand, we shall have an instructor exclusively for them’’ TNIE quoted Khader as saying.
Cutting across the party line, legislators initially gave a thumbs up, expressing their appreciation to those kids. When the instructor accompanying the children explained the interaction, the children responded by raising their hands using sign language.
MLAs in turn reciprocated and raised their hands. It was heart warming to witness this amid the chaos in the Assembly that was debating alleged scam in Excise Department.
