SIT to submit first progress report on Sabarimala gold case to Kerala HC
Pathanamthitta (PTI): The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from Sabarimala is expected to file its first progress report to the Kerala High Court soon, police sources said on Monday.
The division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar will hear the case again on Tuesday.
Sources told PTI that the SIT plans to submit the report on the same day.
Officials said the report will cover the current status of the investigation, including the arrest of Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potty, who sponsored the electroplating of gold-clad copper plates on the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum )door frames in 2019.
It will also detail the investigation carried out at Chennai, where the plates were electroplated, sources said.
The High Court, while assigning the SIT to the case, had directed the team to file a progress report within two weeks and set a six-week deadline to complete the investigation.
The SIT has registered two cases related to gold missing from the plates of Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil door frames. As many as 10 persons have been arraigned as accused in both cases, including Potty and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials.
SIT is expected to interrogate other accused persons soon.
The amicus curiae, retired High Court judge Justice KT Sankaran, assigned to prepare an inventory of valuables, including gold at the hill shrine, is also expected to submit a preliminary report when the case is considered on Tuesday.
Justice Sankaran visited Sabarimala and examined the strong rooms last week.
Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph alleged that the government is protecting the accused persons in the Sabarimala case.
“Even though the court ordered the SIT probe on October 6, the arrest was made only on October 16. When Congress workers are arrested within hours in other cases, those accused of stealing crores of rupees worth of gold from Sabarimala are freely roaming. The government is intentionally protecting them,” he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
