Kerala HC orders fresh probe into Sabarimala ghee sale irregularities

The Kerala High Court has ordered an independent re-evaluation of 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 — to find out if a corruption case is made out.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) report in the matter, a bench of justices



Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar observed that the findings of the agency regarding the issue “appear to minimise the significance” of the loss caused to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and sought to close the matter. 

The bench said that in its view, it was a fit case where the entire matter requires reconsideration by a senior officer of “impeccable integrity, proven competence, and adequate experience”.