Kerala HC extends time for VACB to complete probe in Sabarimala ghee sale scam

Kerala High Court granted 30 more days to Vigilance Bureau to probe alleged misappropriation in Sabarimala ghee sales, citing wider involvement and poor records. Court ordered a detailed investigation into TDB staff roles in the scam causing revenue losses

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has given the vigilance bureau 30 days more to conclude its probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds by TDB employees in relation to the sale of ‘Adiya Sishtam Ghee’ — a sacred offering sold to devotees at the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala.

A bench of justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar granted the additional time after the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) informed it that nine more Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) staff are suspected of being involved in the scam and their roles have to investigated.

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The Bureau had initially registered an FIR against 33 people in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds from sale of the ‘ghee’.

The VACB also told the court that careless and improper maintenance of records by the TDB has significantly hampered the progress of the investigation, making it difficult to complete the same within the stipulated time.

Taking note of the submissions by the probe agency, the court said it was satisfied that the request for additional time was justified.

“Accordingly, a further period of 30 days is granted to conclude the investigation. We direct the Bureau to seek permission of this court prior to submitting the final report,” the bench said.

It also directed the VACB to conduct a comprehensive and exhaustive probe, clearly identifying and fixing the role of each and every individual involved, and to proceed in accordance with the law so that appropriate action may be taken without delay.

The court had in January directed the VACB to register a case and constitute a team of “upright and competent officers” to investigate it.

The orders came in a petition initiated by the court on its own following a report by the TDB’s Chief Vigilance and Security Officer pointing out that the sale proceeds of 16,628 packets of ghee sold at the shrine have not been remitted to the Devaswom account.

Besides that, the report also revealed that there was a shortage of 22,565 packets of ghee during the period from December 27, 2025 to January 2, 2026, leading to a loss of revenue of Rs 22,65,500 to the Devaswom.