Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi, Dec 30 (NationPress) New political ripples have emerged in the Sabarimala gold heist investigation as it has been confirmed that Kadakampally Surendran, a senior CPI-M legislator and former Devaswom Minister, was interrogated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

This event unfolded on Saturday but only became public knowledge on Tuesday, escalating the examination of the inquiry, which is under the vigilant oversight of the Kerala High Court.

Surendran made a brief statement acknowledging the questioning during a media interaction.

"I attended the SIT inquiry because I was the Devaswom Minister at the time of the incident," he remarked, avoiding further inquiries before departing.

Additionally, former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President P. Prasanth, whose term ended last month, was also interrogated.

The significance of this revelation intensified as it coincided with the SIT requesting the Kerala High Court on Tuesday for permission to augment its investigation team.

This development has spurred speculation within political and legal communities regarding the pace and trajectory of the investigation, especially amidst claims that some critical elements are being approached with caution.

On Tuesday, a vacation bench led by Justice Ziyad Rahman A.A. and Justice M.B. Snehalatha granted the SIT's request to incorporate two additional officers of Circle Inspector rank.

"A report has been presented by the head of the Special Investigation Team requesting this Court's approval to add two officers… After reviewing the report, we believe that the permission requested can be approved," the court stated.

The SIT was established following the High Court's intervention in response to a suo motu petition initiated based on a report by the Special Commissioner.

The report highlighted the alleged theft of gold after the removal of gold-covered copper casings from the Dwarapalaka idols and the peedam on which these idols were placed without prior court notice.

This case revolves around the purported theft of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and lintels at the Sabarimala temple.

Previously, the High Court had granted the SIT an additional six weeks to finalize the investigation after being informed that the scientific examination mandated by the court had commenced.

The case is set for further examination on January 14, 2026.

From a political standpoint, the spotlight has remained squarely on Surendran.

Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan has consistently claimed that the investigation is being delayed to protect the former minister, a stance he maintains even after Surendran filed a defamation lawsuit against him.

Adding to the political strain, former State Labour Minister and senior UDF leader Shibu Baby John expressed concerns regarding the investigation's direction.

He mentioned a pending plea before the High Court requesting a CBI investigation, indicating that it seems to be losing momentum weeks after the SIT began its inquiry.

"We will have to await the results of Surendran's questioning," he concluded.