Kerala High Court orders Vigilance probe into alleged irregularities in Milma ghee supply to Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court has ordered a vigilance probe into alleged irregularities and possible misappropriation in the procurement and supply of ghee by Milma to Sabarimala temple during the 2025-2026 Mandala Makaravilakku festival season..In an order passed on Wednesday, a Division Bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar directed the Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to appoint IPS officer MS Sojan to head the team that would investigate the matter. The Bench noted that Sojan would be the ideal officer for the role as he had already been appointed to head the team probing allegations of criminal misappropriation of the proceeds of "Adiya Sishtam Ghee" sold at counters at Sabarimala. The Court also ordered that the following officers be appointed to the vigilance team:1. CS Hari, Deputy Superintendent of Police, VACB, SIU-I - Investigating Officer;2. Saji Shankar AS, Inspector of Police, VACB, SIU-I;3. Sreejith S Inspector of Police, VACB, SIU-I;4. Kiran TR, Inspector of Police, VACB, SIU-I; and5. Ratheendra Kumar RS , Inspector of Police, VACB, SIU-I.."We direct the investigating team to conduct the investigation with utmost diligence and vigour," the Court said. .The order was passed on a suo motu case registered based on a report from the Sabarimala Special Commissioner raising concerns regarding possible irregularities in the supply of ghee by Milma to the temple. The report referred to various news reports alleging that adulterated ghee had been transported to Sabarimala during the festival season. Acting on such news reports, the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer was directed to conduct a detailed enquiry. In his report, the officer expressed serious apprehensions as to whether the entire quantity of 1,61,535 litres of ghee allegedly supplied by Milma had, in fact, reached the temple. According to the report Milma was not the successful bidder in the tender invited by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for supplying ghee to Sabarimala. The successful bidder quoted ₹369 per litre, whereas Milma quoted ₹510 per litre. However, based on communications from an Executive Officer named Murari Babu - that due to the higher quality of the ghee produced by Milma, which is a government undertaking, less quantity would be required to make the aravana prasadam - the TDB subsequently ended up approving the purchase of ghee from Milma. The report of the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer also pointed out several discrepancies relating to the transportation, receipt and accounting of the ghee supplied.In an order passed on August 3, the Court opined that the report contained allegations of serious irregularities that warrant an independent investigation. "Prima facie, the materials collected during the preliminary enquiry indicate the possibility of a coordinated course of action involving certain members of the Board and officials, resulting in substantial financial loss to the Travancore Devaswom Board and the possible supply of substandard ghee for the preparation of Aravana. The report further raises a serious apprehension that payments may have been released even in respect of quantities of ghee that may not have actually been supplied. These allegations strike at the very integrity of the procurement process and involve the misutilisation of public funds entrusted to a statutory body administering one of the most revered temples in the Country. The matter, therefore, warrants a thorough, independent and comprehensive investigation," the Court said. .The Court has now ordered a probe by VACB and directed the investigating team to file a report on its progress in a month's time. The Court has also made it clear that the investigation team will be answerable only to the Court. .[Read Order]