Political Undercurrents: The ED Raids on Sabarimala Gold Loss

Kerala Ports Minister V N Vasavan cast doubts on the motivations behind recent ED raids linked to the Sabarimala gold loss. He suggested the raids might be politically motivated, especially given the ongoing, satisfactory probe by the SIT. Concerns also arise from discrepancies in raid targets.

The ongoing investigation into the Sabarimala gold loss took a political turn on Tuesday as Kerala Ports Minister V N Vasavan suggested that the recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids might be politically motivated. He supported the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, which is being overseen by the Kerala High Court, describing it as satisfactory.

Vasavan stated that conducting an ED probe parallel to the SIT investigation could raise suspicions regarding its true intent. The minister responded to media questions about the ED's raids at 21 locations, including residences in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu linked to those involved in the case.

Raising further concerns, Vasavan pointed to alleged discriminatory practices in the raids, noting that not all accused were targeted, specifically mentioning that the home of accused Sabarimala chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru wasn't raided. He also questioned the credibility of the ED following the removal of a top officer responsible for a related smuggling investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)