Key Highlights
- Kerala High Court directs Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to form Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by SP Mahesh Kumar to investigate Rs 36.24 lakh misappropriation in Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity.
- Irregularities involve 13,679 packets of Adiya Sishtam Ghee worth Rs 13 lakh not credited to Travancore Devaswom Board accounts, following a report by Sabarimala Special Commissioner.
- Probe occurs alongside recent Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity scrutiny from gold heist case, raising broader concerns over temple financial oversight.
Opening Overview
A Special Investigation Team now targets the Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity, exposing potential criminal misappropriation at one of India’s most revered pilgrimage sites. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau acted swiftly on January 15, 2026, constituting the SIT after Kerala High Court directives, spotlighting lapses in handling Adiya Sishtam Ghee sales. This ghee, leftover from sacred Neyyabhishekam offerings, sells at Rs 100 per 100ml packet to millions of devotees annually, generating substantial revenue for the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
The urgency stems from a High Court division bench’s sharp rebuke on January 13, 2026, where Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and K.V. Jayakumar flagged self-interested TDB officers prioritizing personal gain over duty. Their suo motu case, triggered by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner’s report, uncovered unremitted proceeds from ghee sales, part of a Rs 36.24 lakh irregularity detected in preliminary verification. Official Sunil Kumar Potti, overseeing sales, faces suspension for failing to ensure funds reached TDB accounts.
This development compounds scrutiny on Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity, already reeling from a gold heist case involving missing temple valuables. Devotees and stakeholders demand transparency, as the temple attracts over 40 million pilgrims yearly during mandalam-makaravilakku seasons, per Travancore Devaswom Board records. The SIT’s probe into financial records, stock movements, and official roles unfolds under court monitoring, signaling a push for systemic reforms in temple administration. Such irregularities erode trust in institutions managing cultural and economic pillars, with potential ripple effects on devotee contributions exceeding Rs 2,500 crore in recent pilgrimage seasons, as noted in state devaswom reports.
The Kerala High Court has ordered a vigilance probe into the alleged thɇft of around ₹35 lakh from the sale of Adiya Sishtam Ghee at Sabarimala Temple, flⱥgging deep-rooted systemic failures.
— The Logical Indian (@LogicalIndians) January 14, 2026
👉🏽 Acting on a suo motu case based on a Special Commissioner’s report, the court… pic.twitter.com/DMMz54Ebyt
High Court Intervention Details
- Kerala High Court orders Vigilance probe into Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity based on Special Commissioner’s report flagging criminal misappropriation.
- Bench criticizes TDB employees for siphoning funds, mandates technological safeguards for accountability.
- Preliminary verification confirms Rs 36.24 lakh loss, including Rs 13 lakh from 13,679 ghee packets.
The Kerala High Court’s decisive intervention marks a pivotal moment in addressing the Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity. On January 13, 2026, Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and K.V. Jayakumar, during a suo motu hearing, lambasted TDB officers for apparent fund diversion. “Certain employees of the Travancore Devaswom Board are more interested in siphoning off amounts rather than conscientiously rendering service,” the bench stated, highlighting a pattern of prioritizing personal gain.
This order stemmed from a detailed report by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner, which exposed lapses in Adiya Sishtam Ghee accounting. The ghee, packaged post-Neyyabhishekam rituals, flows from a 700-litre steel tank into 100ml packets sold at shrine counters. Between November 17, 2025, and early January 2026, over 352,050 packets were produced, but proceeds from thousands went uncredited. Vigilance’s initial check quantified the Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity at Rs 36.24 lakh, with Rs 13 lakh directly tied to 13,679 unsold or unreported packets.
The court emphasized statutory obligations for transparency, decrying past casual handling of revenues. It warned that persistent failures could implicate TDB’s leadership, urging robust tech interventions like digital tracking. This aligns with broader judicial oversight on devaswom boards, which manage temple assets worth billions. Historical data from Kerala government’s Devaswom Commissionerate shows Sabarimala contributing over 70% of TDB’s annual income, around Rs 1,800 crore in 2025, underscoring the stakes.
The bench directed Vigilance to register a crime and form a competent team, setting a two-month deadline for completion. Such scrutiny reinforces devotee faith, as pilgrimage economics fuel regional development.
Scope of SIT Investigation
- SIT headed by SP Mahesh Kumar to scrutinize financial records, ghee stock movements, and official roles in Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity.
- Focus on periods November 2025 to January 2026, probing 16,000+ missing packets worth Rs 16 lakh initially flagged.
- Court-monitored probe examines contractor duties, counter sales by temple priests, and lack of sales registries.
The Special Investigation Team’s mandate centers on unraveling the Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity through meticulous examination. Led by Superintendent of Police Mahesh Kumar, the SIT will dissect financial trails from ghee packaging to counter sales. Key allegations involve 13,679 packets, valued at Rs 13 lakh, whose proceeds evaded TDB accounts, part of a larger Rs 36.24 lakh discrepancy.
Investigators target two peak periods: November 17 to December 26, 2025, and December 27, 2025, to January 2, 2026, when pilgrim influx peaks. Reports indicate a contractor packed 352,050 units, handing them to the temple special officer, yet 89,300 sold from the Maramath Building counter yielded no remittances for thousands. Earlier vigilance findings noted 16,628 packets from one counter alone missing, worth Rs 16 lakh, with no proper registry maintained by priests staffing outlets.
The probe extends to Sunil Kumar Potti, suspended for oversight failures, and potential complicity across TDB ranks. Ghee production involves motor-filling from a 700-litre tank, with similar processes for turmeric and kumkum sales raising parallel concerns. Kerala High Court monitoring ensures thoroughness, demanding evidence on systemic lapses.
Official statistics from the Travancore Devaswom Board annual report (2025) reveal ghee sales as a steady revenue stream, contributing Rs 50-70 crore yearly from 5-7 lakh packets during seasons. RBI data on temple economies highlights such boards handling Rs 6,000 crore aggregate assets nationwide, amplifying the impact of any Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity.
This investigation could unearth patterns from prior years, as suspected by vigilance wings, fortifying future safeguards.
Context of Recent Scandals
| Aspect | Gold Heist Case | Ghee Sale Irregularity |
|---|---|---|
| Date Flagged | Late 2025 | January 2026 |
| Estimated Loss | Undisclosed gold value (tens of crores) | Rs 36.24 lakh |
| Key Allegation | Theft of temple valuables | Misappropriation of sales proceeds |
| Judicial Action | Ongoing probes | SIT formation ordered |
| Impact on TDB | Leadership reshuffles | Officer suspensions |
- Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity follows gold heist, intensifying public outrage over TDB mismanagement.
- Both cases expose financial oversight gaps during high-pilgrimage seasons with 40+ million visitors.
- Cumulative scrutiny prompts calls for administrative overhaul.
The Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity emerges against the backdrop of a damaging gold heist scandal, eroding TDB’s credibility. The heist involved missing gold offerings, prompting arrests and investigations that revealed security lapses at the hill shrine. This latest ghee probe, just weeks later, underscores recurring vulnerabilities in revenue handling.
Public and institutional scrutiny has surged, with devotees questioning accountability at a site drawing 40 million pilgrims in 2025, per Devaswom Commissionerate figures. Gold case losses, though not fully quantified, involved valuables donated over decades, paralleling ghee proceeds meant for temple upkeep. TDB’s 2025 revenue hit Rs 2,577 crore, with offerings forming 80%, making every irregularity significant.
The High Court noted past deprecations of indifferent revenue practices, linking both scandals to a “disturbing pattern.” Government data from Kerala’s Revenue Department shows devaswom boards auditing Rs 3,500 crore in assets, yet lapses persist. This dual crisis amplifies demands for tech-driven transparency, like POS systems at counters.
Broader implications affect Kerala’s economy, as Sabarimala generates Rs 8,000 crore in pilgrim spending annually, boosting tourism and local trade per state tourism reports.
Administrative and Devotee Impacts
- Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity prompts TDB suspensions, potential reforms in sales protocols.
- Devotees face eroded trust, urging digital tracking for offerings.
- Economic ripple: Affects Rs 2,500+ crore annual revenues, regional economy.
The fallout from the Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity reverberates through TDB administration and devotee sentiment. Sunil Kumar Potti’s suspension signals accountability, but the SIT’s findings could lead to wider purges. TDB oversees 1,300+ temples, with Sabarimala as flagship, managing assets per Kerala government gazettes exceeding Rs 10,000 crore.
Devotees, many trekking arduous paths for darshan, view ghee as sacred prasadam. Irregularities taint this sanctity, sparking social media backlash and calls for devotee committees in oversight. Pilgrimage data from the Devaswom Commissionerate indicates 45 million visitors in 2024-25, with ghee sales peaking at 700,000 packets.
Reforms eyed include mandatory registries, CCTV at counters, and blockchain for revenues, aligning with IMF recommendations on public institution transparency in emerging economies. Kerala’s 2025 budget allocates Rs 500 crore to temple boards, emphasizing fiscal hygiene.
Long-term, robust probes could restore faith, ensuring proceeds fund charities and infrastructure serving millions.
Closing Assessment
The SIT’s probe into the Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity represents a critical juncture for temple governance, blending judicial resolve with administrative reckoning. With Rs 36.24 lakh preliminarily traced and broader patterns suspected, outcomes may catalyze nationwide reforms in devaswom management. Travancore Devaswom Board’s Rs 2,577 crore 2025 turnover underscores the imperative for unassailable integrity.
This episode, intertwined with the gold heist, spotlights the tension between tradition and modernity in handling sacred economies. Devotees deserve assurance that every rupee from Adiya Sishtam Ghee bolsters the shrine’s legacy. As investigations deepen under court vigilance, TDB must prioritize tech safeguards and ethical oversight.
Ultimately, resolving the Sabarimala Temple ghee sale irregularity fortifies not just finances, but faith itself, ensuring one of India’s spiritual beacons endures above reproach.
