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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Backward taluks rise to 177 despite ₹32,000 crore spend, report flags North Karnataka lag
Bengaluru: Fifteen years after Karnataka began a major push to reduce regional imbalance, a new high-powered committee has found that the number of backward taluks in the state has increased, with underdevelopment remaining heavily concentrated in the northern regions.
Deccan Herald reported that the Karnataka Regional Imbalances Redressal Committee, chaired by economist M Govinda Rao, has reported that 177 of the state’s 236 taluks now fall under varying categories of backwardness. The findings were recently submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and highlight that regional disparity continues to be a structural problem despite significant public expenditure.
According to the committee’s assessment, 59 taluks have been classified as “most backward”, an equal number as “more backward” and “backward”, while only 59 taluks qualify as “developed”. The panel noted that backwardness is overwhelmingly a North Karnataka phenomenon, with the Kalyana Karnataka region emerging as the most affected. Not a single taluk in this region has been categorised as developed.
The report observed that Karnataka has witnessed strong income growth and an expanding share in the national economy. However, this growth has remained uneven. Economic gains are concentrated in a handful of districts, while large parts of the state continue to lag in social and developmental indicators, as reported by DH. Only six districts—Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Tumakuru and Uttara Kannada—record a Net District Development Product above the state average.
The committee’s findings come after a review of earlier efforts based on recommendations of the DM Nanjundappa Committee. Between 2007-08 and 2022-23, the state spent over ₹32,600 crore to address regional imbalance. Despite this, the new panel cautioned that if spending does not create conditions for sustained growth even higher allocations alone do not guarantee development.
Kalaburagi division was found to have the highest concentration of the most backward taluks, followed by Belagavi. No taluks in the Bengaluru or Mysuru divisions fall into the most backward category, underscoring the sharp regional divide within the state.
The Rao committee has sought an allocation of ₹43,914 crore for the period from 2026 to 2031 to tackle imbalances, while also calling for a shift in approach. It pointed out conceptual and methodological limitations in earlier frameworks, specifically the assumption that development could be achieved mainly through government spending on infrastructure and services.
Stating that their functioning has had limited impact, the panel has also suggested abolishing the Malnad Area Development Board and the Bayaluseeme Development Board. It has also proposed restructuring the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board to better align it with its broader objectives.
