Sabarimala Case

How a non-believer in North India claim entry right in Sabarimala: SC

How can a non-believer in North India claim the right of entry to the temple in Sabarimala? The Supreme Court questioned on Wednesday and said that while deciding the issue regarding the right to enter temples, it has to examine whether a devotee or a non-devotee is claiming that right. The observation of a nine-judge Constitution bench came while hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, and on the ambit and scope of the religious freedom practised by multiple faiths. The bench comprised Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for two women named Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga, who are supporting the 2018 judgement, submitted that one of the petitioners is a scheduled caste woman and stopping her from visiting

Right to manage religious bodies cannot mean anarchy: SC in Sabarimala case

Observing that there cannot be anarchy, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said the right to manage a religious institution cannot mean absence of structure and there has to be a modality and norms devised for its functioning. The observation by a nine-judge Constitution bench came while hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, and on the ambit and scope of religious freedom practised by multiple faiths. The bench comprised Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi. Advocate Nizam Pasha, appearing for Peerzada Syed Altamash Nizami, direct ancestral descendent in Chisti Nizami lineage associated with dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia, submitted that a dargah is a place where a saint is buried. "Within Islam, there are differing views regarding the status of saints .

Will Constitution not rescue believer barred from touching deity: SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the chief priest of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple if the Constitution will not come to the rescue of a believer who is not allowed to touch the deity. The remark by the top court came after the chief priest said that when a devotee goes to a temple for worship, it can't be in antagonism to the characteristics of a deity. The nine-judge Constitution bench is hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, and on the ambit and scope of the religious freedom practised by multiple faiths. The bench comprises Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi. Appearing for the 'thantri', senior advocate V Giri submitted that the nature of ceremonies and rituals followed in any temple forms the integral part of the religion and therefore is a religious

Judges must rise above personal faith in religious matters: SC Bench

Top court says adjudication in religious matters must be guided by constitutional principles, not personal beliefs, during Sabarimala-related hearings

Most difficult task is to declare belief of millions wrong, says SC

Supreme Court emphasises restraint in religious matters, cautioning against diluting core practices while hearing constitutional questions arising from the Sabarimala case

Courts can't judge religious belief of denomination: Sabarimala board to SC

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the historic Sabarimala temple in Kerala, told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that religion is a set of beliefs and practices followed by a denomination with a broadly similar identity and the court cannot sit in judgement of that belief. A nine-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant was told by the board, which is a statutory autonomous body that manages over 1,000 temples in South India, that the beliefs and practices of the community have to be judged by the subjective belief of the community and the court is bound to accept their belief. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the TDB said, "Religion is a set of beliefs and practices followed by a group/sect/denomination with a broadly similar identity. While Article 25 clearly vests in an individual the right to profess, practice and propagate religion, such individual rights cannot be allowed to extend to an area which intrudes upon the mass of ...

Sabarimala judgement proceeds on assumption that men are superior: Govt

The Centre on Thursday backed the restriction on the entry of women of menstruating age into Kerala's Sabarimala temple, saying that the top court's 2018 judgement proceeds on the assumption that men are superior and womenare on a lower pedestal. A nine-judge Constitution bench is hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, and on the ambit and scope of religious freedom practised by multiple faiths. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant that he filed a written submission and gave instances where men are not allowed in temples. "It is a Devi Bhagwati temple, there are certain faiths and beliefs attached. There is one temple in Kerala, I read it, where men will go dressed as women. They go to beauty parlour and female family members help them dress in saree... "So it is not a question of male-centric or female-centric religi

SC questions Article 17 use in Sabarimala, Nagarathna flags logic

A nine-judge Supreme Court Bench questions applying Article 17 to Sabarimala entry restrictions, with Justice BV Nagarathna highlighting concerns over its doctrinal relevance

Sabarimala issue: 'Even God is not safe' in Kerala, alleges FM Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday raised the Sabarimala gold loss issue during an NDA poll campaign event at Perumbavoor and said even 'God is not safe' in Kerala. While addressing party workers during a roadshow, she said the southern state may be known as 'God's Own Country'. "But God is not safe in Kerala. Even Lord Ayyappa's gold was taken away. So, my humble request is that...we don't want UDF and LDF anymore in the state," Sitharaman said. Launching a scathing attack on the CPI(M)-led ruling LDF and the Congress-led UDF, she accused the traditional fronts of mismanaging Kerala's economy through alternate stints in power. "The UDF and the LDF cannot go on like this. Because Kerala's economy is in a very bad state," the finance minister said. She claimed that the state's financial condition had worsened significantly, alleging that industries were in decline and entrepreneurs were finding it difficult to sustain operations in Kerala. Citing prominent ...

Sabarimala case: Vigilance court grants statutory bail to former TDB chief

A vigilance court here on Wednesday granted statutory bail to former TDB president A Padmakumar in the case related to alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols of the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala, sources said. Padmakumar had already gotten statutory bail in the case related to the alleged misappropriation of gold from the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) at the temple, and therefore, he is likely to come out of jail by evening. The former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president is the eighth accused in the matter to come out of jail on bail, the sources said. Padmakumar is a former CPI(M) MLA and had served as TDB president when the decision was taken to hand over Sabarimala artefacts for replating to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019. He is the 11th accused in the Dwarapalaka gold loss case. Both cases are being probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Kerala High Court.

Court grants statutory bail to former TDB official in Sabarimala gold case

A court here on Friday granted statutory bail to a former TDB official in connection with the Sabarimala gold loss case. Kollam Vigilance Court Judge Mohit CS granted bail to former Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornament) Commissioner K S Baiju in the case related to the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates, as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a charge sheet within 90 days of his arrest. Baiju is the seventh accused in the Dwarapalaka case. Earlier, on February 12, the same court had granted the former Travancore Devaswom Board official bail in a second case related to the alleged loss of gold from the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum), in which he is the fourth accused. With bail granted in both cases, Baiju is expected to be released from jail soon. He is the seventh person to be released on bail in connection with the case, police said. The SIT had alleged that gold artefacts were handed over to the prime accused, Unnikri

Sabarimala gold loss case: Kerala HC rejects CEO's plea against arrest

The Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed a plea moved by the CEO of Chennai-based Smart Creations, where the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols of Sabarimala were taken for gold plating, challenging his arrest in the case of alleged misappropriation of gold from the Lord Ayyappa shrine. Justice A Badharudeen rejected the plea of Smart Creations CEO Pankaj Bhandari, who had also sought that he be released from custody. The detailed order is awaited. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) has claimed that Bhandari and Ballari-based jeweller Govardhan Roddam played a central role in a conspiracy to steal gold from artefacts of the Sabarimala temple. The SIT had alleged that Bhandari and Roddam, along with first accused Unnikrishnan Potty, planned the theft of gold that was entrusted to them for electroplating work.

ED conduct raids in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu in Sabarimala case

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday launched searches in three states as part of its money laundering investigation into the Sabarimala gold loss case, official sources said. About 21 locations across Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are being raided under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they added. The premises linked to the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, in Bengaluru and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar are understood to be covered by the federal probe agency as part of the action. The ED had recently filed a PMLA case taking cognisance of a Kerala police FIR. The politically sensitive case is already being investigated by a state Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the Kerala High Court. The probe is related to a series of irregularities, including official misconduct, administrative lapses and a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate the gold from the various artefacts of the Lord Ayyappa

Cong leader held for sharing AI image of Kerala CM with gold theft accused

A Congress leader was taken into custody on Saturday for allegedly sharing an AI-generated photograph depicting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with Unnikrishnan Potty, an accused in the Sabarimala gold case, police said. Chevayoor police took N Subarahmanian of Karuvattoor, Political Affairs Committee member of the state unit of Congress, into custody after registering a case against him. He was booked for sharing a post on a social media platform carrying a photograph depicting the Chief Minister and Potty together, with a caption questioning the reason for their alleged close relationship. As part of the probe, a police team reached Subarahmanian's house on Saturday morning to record his statement. Later, it was decided to take him to the police station for detailed interrogation, officials said. CPI(M) has claimed that the picture circulating on social media is AI-generated. Before being taken to the police station, Subarahmanian told reporters that the picture he shared

Congress leader booked for sharing Kerala CM's AI-generated image

A case has been registered against a Congress leader for allegedly sharing an AI-generated photograph showing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with Unnikrishnan Potty, an accused in the Sabarimala gold loss case, officials said on Friday. The case was registered against N Subarahmanian of Karuvattoor, a member of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Commitee (KPCC) Political Affairs Committee. According to the FIR registered by Chevayoor police, Subarahmanian shared a post on a social media platform carrying a photograph of the Chief Minister and Potty, accompanied by a caption questioning the reason for their alleged close relationship. Police said preliminary verification revealed that the image was generated using artificial intelligence. A case has been registered under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act for causing annoyance through communication. Police are also tracin

Pilgrim turn out in Sabarimala crosses 2.5 mn during ongoing season

The pilgrim turnout at Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple here has crossed 25 lakh in the ongoing annual Mandalam pilgrimage season, a senior official said on Monday. Despite a significant increase in the number of pilgrims compared to last year, darshan at the hill shrine continues smoothly due to effective planning and arrangements, said ADGP S Sreejith, Chief Police Coordinator for Sabarimala. While around 21 lakh devotees had visited the shrine by this time last year, the number has crossed 25 lakh in the ongoing season, he said in a statement. Though heavy crowding was experienced during the initial days, the situation was brought under control through timely interventions, he said. The senior police officer pointed out that the temporary congestion was largely caused by pilgrims failing to arrive on the date specified in their virtual queue passes. He stressed that if devotees adhere to the allotted dates, sufficient time for darshan can be ensured for everyone. He further note

Kerala CM's office pressuring SIT to delay investigation: LoP Satheesan

The Congress-led UDF on Friday alleged that the Kerala Chief Minister's office was exerting pressure on the SIT against questioning a former Devaswom Minister in connection with the Sabarimala gold issue till the upcoming local body polls are over. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan contended that the Congress claims of an illicit CPI(M)-BJP relationship have been proved by the recent revelation that CPI (M) MP John Brittas acted as intermediary in the signing of the PM SHRI memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government earlier. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had recently remarked that Brittas had "mediated" the signing of the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) MoU by the Kerala government. Following criticism from the opposition on the issue, the ruling CPI(M) and Brittas had claimed that he was only fulfilling his duty as an MP from the state in the interests of Kerala. Speaking to reporters here, Satheesan alleged t

Sabarimala missing gold: Chennithala accuses Kerala CM of shielding accused

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of trying to protect the accused in the Sabarimala gold loss case. The incident had hurt the sentiments of Lord Ayyappa devotees across the world, he said, and added that the government was the prime accused in the case. The Congress leader said former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), A Padmakumar and N Vasu, had already been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), but they could not do anything alone without "political support". He alleged that CM Vijayan was trying to protect them and others accused in the gold missing case. Referring to the reported reference of Padmakumar about the involvement of a "god-like person" in the case, Chennithala said, "in Marxist party who is god-like other than Pinarayi Vijayan?" "The present investigation into the case is not extending to the ministers as they have the support of the CM and the government. People of the state

Sabarimala missing gold: Court gives Padmakumar's custody to SIT for 2 days

A Kerala court on Wednesday sent CPI(M) leader and former TDB president A Padmakumar to the custody of the SIT, which is probing the loss of gold from the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala, for two days, police said. The special vigilance court granted the request of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for Padmakumar's custody to question him in connection with the loss of gold from the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames, police said. He has to be produced before the court on Thursday evening, when the custody period will get over, it said. According to the SIT appointed by the Kerala High Court, the former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president referred to the 'gold-plated copper plates' as 'copper plates' in the records. He was arrested last Thursday. Padmakumar, a former CPI(M) MLA who served as TDB president in 2019, is the eighth accused in the second case related to the missing gold from the Sreekovil door frames. The SIT is probing two cases, one involving gold lo

Central agencies can intervene in Sabarimala gold loss issue: George Kurian

Union Minister George Kurian on Saturday said that central agencies can intervene in the Sabarimala gold theft case if there is a black money angle and that "Lord Ayyappa will not spare" those involved in the irregularities. Kurian, the Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs, said that since an FIR has been lodged in connection with the irregularities, central agencies can intervene as per law. "The intervention will not be political. It will be as per law. I believe they (agencies) will do it," he said. He claimed that those arrested in connection with the irregularities were all "atheists" as "they went with a smile, content in the knowledge that they have carried out their ideological duties". Kurian alleged that the CPI(M) leadership looted the gold "so that there is no poverty in the party". "But there is no need to be concerned, Lord Ayyappa will not spare anyone," he said. Kurian was responding to reporters' queries here a