Thiruvananthapuram | Opposition parties on Thursday alleged a conspiracy by the state government behind the delay in filing charge sheets in the Sabarimala gold loss cases, which they claimed had resulted in the accused securing statutory bail.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, speaking to reporters here, alleged that the bail granted to the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, was part of a larger conspiracy.
"There is a conspiracy to ensure that all the arrested persons are released, and the bail granted to Potty is part of it," he alleged.
The Congress-led UDF has been raising the issue in the Assembly, alleging that intervention from the CMO has affected the functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case.
"When all the arrested persons come out of jail, the evidence collected will be destroyed," he claimed.
The Leader of the Opposition further alleged that CPI(M) leaders arrested in connection with the Sabarimala gold loss case would also be released on bail soon.
"If these persons had remained in jail, more senior leaders who were next in line would also have gone to jail. This conspiracy is meant to prevent that, and our allegations are proving to be correct," he said.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan accused the Leader of the Opposition of "misleading the public by suppressing facts." "Knowing that the case is moving towards senior Congress leaders, they are making deliberate interventions," he alleged.
Govindan said it was the Leader of the Opposition who had raised questions about the SIT and demanded a CBI probe.
"It is the BJP and its associates who are now approaching the court seeking a CBI investigation," he said.
BJP state vice-president B Gopalakrishnan alleged that the arrest of Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru was carried out to protect a minister.
He claimed that attempts were being made to project the Tantri as the prime accused.
"It is an attempt to suppress an awakening Hindu society," he alleged.
Gopalakrishnan further claimed that CPI(M) leaders were no longer speaking against Unnikrishnan Potty and former MLA Padmakumar.
"For them, there is only one accused-the Tantri. This is a conspiracy to protect the real accused," he alleged.
The Sabarimala gold loss cases relate to the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames at the Lord Ayyappa temple following the replating of claddings on the artefacts.
The Kerala High Court had constituted the SIT to probe the cases.
