KOLLAM: In the controversial Sabarimala gold theft case, two more accused Pankaj Bhandari and Govardhan were granted bail by the trial court at Kollam on Thursday.
They were granted statutory bail after the prosecution failed to file a chargesheet within the stipulated time.
The Kollam Vigilance Court allowed their release, noting that the mandatory 90 day remand period had expired without progress in filing the final report.
With this, the total number of accused who have secured bail in the case has risen to ten.
Notably, eight among them have walked free on statutory grounds, highlighting procedural lapses that have slowed the prosecution’s case in what is widely seen as a high profile investigation involving alleged diversion of temple gold.
Govardhan, a jewellery trader from Bellary in Karnataka, had earlier approached the Supreme Court of India after his bail plea was rejected by the Kerala High Court.