The Kerala High Court has mandated a high-level vigilance investigation into the alleged siphoning of sale proceeds from sacred 'Adiya Sishtam Ghee' at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar expressed shock at the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) employees' misconduct, directing the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to probe systemic failures and potential complicity at higher levels. The court flagged over Rs 35 lakh in unremitted funds from just under two months, deeming it a grave criminal breach.
Shocking scale of misappropriation
A TDB Chief Vigilance report revealed 16,628 packets of ghee sold without remitting proceeds, including Rs 13,67,900 from 13,679 packets. An additional shortage of 22,565 packets from December 27, 2025, to January 2, 2026, caused Rs 22,65,500 in revenue loss. The bench termed this 'not mere negligence' but clear criminal misappropriation under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Prevention of Corruption Act, warning that the short timeframe suggests deeper, long-term pilferage across revenues.
Procedural lapses and employee culpability
The court lambasted absent safeguards like stock-taking during counter handovers, irregular record-keeping, and delayed remittances, creating opportunities for theft. Employee Sunil Kumar Potty drew specific ire for skipping receipts and remitting Rs 68,200 after 17 days; he faces suspension and further action. Records from November 17 to December 26, 2025, showed prima facie responsibility on in-charge staff, with careless documentation aimed at concealing diversions.
Court's directives and timeline
A team of "upright and competent officers" must register the case, report progress within one month directly to the court, and seek permission before final closure. The bench held the team accountable solely to it, underscoring urgency. It stressed "deep-rooted systemic failures" in supervision and implied higher-ups' "knowledge, acquiescence, or willful blindness," calling the lapses a "grave dereliction of duty."
The ruling decried TDB staff prioritising personal gain over devotees' trust, urging comprehensive probes into full misuse extent. Past court warnings on casual revenue handling went unheeded, risking inferences of complicity among board leadership. This scandal at one of India's holiest sites highlights urgent reforms needed for financial accountability during pilgrimage seasons.
Significance of 'Adiya Sishtam Ghee' revenue
Devotees visiting Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala offer coconuts and ghee, which TDB repackages as sacred "Adiya Sishtam" prasadam and sells back- a major revenue stream for the board. TDB contracts packing of 100 ml packets, providing all materials while paying contractors 20 paise per packet; each sells for Rs 100, generating substantial temple funds.
Mechanics of the alleged embezzlement
Between November 17 and December 26, 2025, the contractor packed 3,52,050 packets of 100 ml ghee, handed over to the temple's special officer for sale at the Maramath building counter. Of these, about 89,300 packets were sold across days, with 143 found defective and only 28 left by December 27- leaving 89,129 packets notionally sold. Yet, counter staff remitted funds for just 75,450 packets, shorting Rs 13,67,900 from 13,679 unaccounted packets.
Court's alarm and probe directive
The High Court deemed this short remittance in such a brief period 'alarming' and beyond mere accounting error, signaling deliberate fraud. Internal vigilance first flagged the discrepancy, leading to Sunil Potty's suspension; the court now mandates a thorough Vigilance Bureau inquiry to uncover the full scam extent, highlighting systemic lapses in this revered shrine's operations.
