Thiruvananthapuram: VD Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, alleged that the Chief Minister’s Office exerted pressure on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold scam to delay further arrests until the completion of the elections. At the same time, he said he trusted the SIT to continue the probe despite political interference.

“The SIT faced pressure to avoid the arrest of N Vasu, former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board. But they ignored it. An efficient team of officials is conducting the probe, and they can prove the case if no one attempts to trouble them,” the Congress MLA said while addressing the media here on Friday.

Satheesan stressed that the “big sharks” behind the scam, in which an international antique-smuggling racket is also suspected to be involved, are yet to come under the probe. He alleged that the LDF government was trying to shield VIPs involved in the case. He made the remarks hours after the Kerala High Court observed delays in extending the probe to VIPs allegedly linked to the alleged gold theft.

He argued that Congress raised allegations of VIP exclusion in the case with the intention of helping the SIT conduct a free and fair probe without political intervention. He added that pressure from the Chief Minister’s Office led to delays in the investigation.

“ Nearly a month was taken for the electroplating work of the temple gold in 2019. We raised the suspicion that the original gold was sold to a millionaire that year. A robbery took place in 2019 under the guise of electroplating work. However, a robbery attempt was foiled following the intervention of the High Court,” he said.

He also welcomed the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) probe into the case.

“This involves a deal worth crores. It is possible that the original gold from the Sabarimala temple was sold to a millionaire in 2019. The involvement of an antique smuggling racket is also suspected. All these angles must be investigated,” Satheesan said.