Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Thursday, ruled out the need for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe at this stage into the Sabarimala gold heist case, asserting that the High Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) was proceeding in the "right direction" and enjoying broad public confidence.
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have been demanding a CBI probe into the matter.
Speaking to the media, Chief Minister Vijayan said the probe was being conducted strictly under the supervision of the Kerala High Court and that the SIT was doing its job effectively.
"It was this government which suggested a High Court-monitored investigation. Neither the Chief Minister nor the Chief Minister's Office has any role whatsoever in the conduct of the probe," he said, dismissing allegations of political interference as baseless.
The Chief Minister added that the SIT would decide whom to question as part of its investigation, based solely on evidence and information gathered.
"The government has no role in deciding who should be summoned. The SIT has to collect a lot of information, and it will proceed accordingly," he said, adding that a CBI probe was "not warranted at present" as the ongoing investigation was progressing properly.
Chief Minister Vijayan also responded to queries regarding the controversy surrounding a photo that surfaced in connection with the case.
The picture shows Congress MP Adoor Prakash, Anto antony, the Congress MP from Pathanamthitta, prime accused Unnikirshnan Potti, and another jeweller who is also currently in jail, alongside Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
Prakash on Thursday said it was the Chief Minister's Political secretary -- P. Sasi, who was behind spreading news that he was going to be questioned by the SIT.
Chief Minister Vijayan said the people were seeking answers on how such individuals came together in a single frame and who facilitated their access to a high-security leader like Sonia Gandhi.
"When questions are being raised on how these people reached close to Sonia Gandhi and what role the MPs had in it, there has been no reply from those concerned," Vijayan said, stressing that the state government had nothing to hide and nothing to do with the investigation.
Meanwhile, responding to remarks by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam General Secretary, Vellappally Natesan, that the Communist Party of India (CPI) was a political party that could not be trusted, Chief Minister Vijayan strongly rejected the claim.
He said the CPI-M shared an excellent relationship with its key ally CPI.
"They are our steadfast partners of long standing. There are no trust issues at all," the Chief Minister said, asserting that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) remained united and stable.
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