Kochi | The SIT probing the alleged loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that samples of artefacts collected from the hill shrine would be sent to specialised agencies, including the BARC in Mumbai, for scientific analysis.

The submission was made when a division bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and K V Jayakumar reviewed the progress of the investigation.

In its report, the Special Investigation Team said that in the case relating to the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates, the roles of four additional persons had been examined, and the involvement of two of them had been confirmed.

Similarly, in the case relating to the alleged loss of gold from the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum), the role of two persons had been verified, and the involvement of one of them confirmed

The SIT submitted that advanced scientific analysis was indispensable to establish, with precision and objectivity, the extent of material alteration, the nature of metallurgical manipulation, and the quantum of gold originally present and subsequently depleted.

It proposed to conduct X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) to determine surface elemental composition, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for ultra-trace impurity and elemental profiling, and Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) to analyse alloy composition and metallurgical uniformity.

The court observed that these techniques would enable comparison between the original clad layers and the present plated surfaces.

"Trace element mapping and impurity profiling will scientifically determine whether the copper substrates and gold layers belong to the same metallurgical batch or whether substitution and reworking have occurred," the court said.

"Even minute variations in impurity signatures, refining residues or alloy composition can conclusively indicate removal, replacement or dilution of gold content," he added.

The advanced analytical facilities required for these examinations are not available at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, where the samples were initially sent, the court said.

"The SIT is therefore approaching premier national research institutions and laboratories, including the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, the National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur, and the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad, to undertake these specialised tests," the court noted.

According to the court, allegations involving the removal and substitution of precious gold cladding from the holy shrine strike at the very sanctity of the temple and cannot rest solely on testimonial assertions or documentary records, which may be susceptible to omission, manipulation or interpretative dispute.

The proof must necessarily be anchored in demonstrable scientific parameters capable of independent verification and rigorous judicial scrutiny, the court said.

"Scientific evidence, being instrument-generated and data-driven, stands on a far higher evidentiary pedestal. It is free from human subjectivity, capable of reproducible validation, and can withstand expert cross-examination," the court observed.

"It would enable the court not merely to infer wrongdoing, but to scientifically quantify material loss, determine the stages and methods of manipulation, correlate timelines of alteration, and fix criminal liability with precision against those responsible," it added.

The court said it was therefore satisfied that such advanced forensic and metallurgical examination was essential and that the results would constitute the bedrock of the prosecution's case.

The court granted the SIT permission to collect samples for the proposed tests from the Sabarimala temple on February 12.

The court directed the SIT to inform it whether adequate samples had been collected and to furnish details of the research institutes where the tests would be conducted, when the case is considered again on February 19.