SP-rank VACB officer to reassess ghee-related irregularities at Sabarimala, govt tells Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court directed a senior VACB officer to reassess allegations of fund misappropriation involving the sale of 'Adiya Sishtam Ghee' at Sabarimala temple. The probe will examine audit reports, records and possible criminal liability after concerns over earlier vigilance findings

Kochi: The Kerala government has told the High Court that a Superintendent of Police-rank officer of the VACB has been appointed to reassess whether a corruption case should be registered over the alleged misappropriation of funds by employees of the TDB in the sale of ‘Adiya Sishtam Ghee’, a sacred offering distributed to devotees at the Sabarimala temple.

Taking note of the submission, a bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar directed the officer to examine the entire records, including the reports of the Audit Department and the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer, and conduct a detailed probe into the matter.

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It also directed the officer — MJ Sojan, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Special Cell, Ernakulam — to file a comprehensive report before the court on or before September 23, granting the two months time sought by him.

He had sought the time to carry out certain actions, including fixing criminal liability on the accused.

The officer was appointed to reassess the alleged irregularities after the bench on June 9 ordered an independent re-evaluation of the alleged misappropriation of funds by Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) employees in relation to the sale of ‘Adiya Sishtam Ghee’.

The court had expressed dissatisfaction with the VACB report in the matter, observing that the findings of the agency regarding the issue “appear to minimise the significance” of the loss caused to the Board.

The VACB had taken the view that, due to the absence of proper maintenance of records, it was not possible to fix individual responsibilities upon the employees of the Board who functioned as Temple Special Officers and counter staff during the relevant period.

It had also said that all the 43 employees who were accused in the case were collectively responsible for the loss to the Board, and recommended that stringent departmental action be initiated against them to prevent recurrence of similar incidents in future.

Disagreeing with the vigilance recommendations, the court had said that where the investigation itself reveals substantial monetary loss, unexplained deficiencies in accounting, entrustment of property, and failure to account for the same, a deeper examination becomes imperative.

It had observed that it was a fit case where the entire matter requires reconsideration by a senior officer of “impeccable integrity, proven competence, and adequate experience”.

The court had initially ordered a probe to identify the causes and circumstances that resulted in a loss of over Rs 17 lakh to the TDB on account of the alleged misappropriation in connection with the sale of ghee at Sannidhanam during the period from November 17, 2025 to December 27, 2025.

The court had initiated the petition 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.