The Kerala High Court has mandated a vigilance inquiry into alleged discrepancies and potential misappropriation concerning the procurement and supply of ghee by Milma to the Sabarimala temple during the 2025-2026 Mandala Makaravilakku festival season. On Wednesday, a Division Bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar instructed the Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to appoint IPS officer MS Sojan to lead the investigative team. The court considered Sojan to be the most suitable officer given his previous appointment to probe allegations related to the misappropriation of “Adiya Sishtam Ghee” sales at Sabarimala.
Formation of the Investigative Team
Alongside MS Sojan, the court has ordered the inclusion of several officers in the vigilance team: CS Hari, Deputy Superintendent of Police, VACB, SIU-I, as the Investigating Officer; and Inspectors of Police Saji Shankar AS, Sreejith S, Kiran TR, and Ratheendra Kumar RS from VACB, SIU-I. The court emphasized that the team must conduct the investigation with the utmost diligence and vigor.
Background and Allegations
The court’s order follows a suo motu case initiated after the Sabarimala Special Commissioner submitted a report highlighting concerns about potential irregularities in Milma’s supply of ghee to the temple. This report was based on various news articles alleging that adulterated ghee was transported to Sabarimala during the festival. The Chief Vigilance and Security Officer’s subsequent inquiry raised significant doubts about whether the full quantity of 1,61,535 liters of ghee purportedly supplied by Milma actually reached the temple.
Further scrutiny revealed that Milma was not the successful bidder in the tender process conducted by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for supplying ghee to Sabarimala. The successful bid was priced at ₹369 per liter, while Milma’s bid was ₹510 per liter. However, TDB approved Milma’s supply based on communications from Executive Officer Murari Babu, who argued that Milma’s ghee, a government product, required a smaller quantity for making the aravana prasadam due to its higher quality.
Discrepancies and Court’s Decision
The Chief Vigilance and Security Officer’s report also highlighted several inconsistencies in the transportation, receipt, and accounting of the supplied ghee. On August 3, the court expressed that these allegations presented significant irregularities necessitating an independent investigation. The preliminary inquiry suggested potential collusion among board members and officials, leading to substantial financial losses for the Travancore Devaswom Board and the possible supply of substandard ghee for the aravana prasadam. The report also raised concerns about payments potentially being made for undelivered quantities of ghee. Such allegations challenge the integrity of the procurement process and suggest the misuse of public funds by a statutory body managing one of India’s most esteemed temples.
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In light of these findings, the court has ordered the VACB to conduct a thorough, independent investigation and submit a progress report within a month. The investigation team has been made explicitly accountable solely to the court.
