The Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted following the Kerala High Court’s directive in the alleged Sabarimala ghee misappropriation case, is likely to widen its probe to examine the role of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth, former board member Aji Kumar and former TDB Administrative Officer Murari Babu, who passed away in June this year.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in procuring ghee from Milma for preparing Aravana during the 2025-26 Mandala-Makaravilakku season. The alleged roles of the three officials surfaced in a report submitted by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner, prompting the High Court to direct the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register a criminal case and conduct a detailed investigation through an SIT led by VACB SP M.J. Sojan.
According to the report, despite strong objections from the Sabarimala Commissioner, the board led by then president Prasanth approved the direct purchase of 1.65 lakh litres of Milma ghee at ₹510 per litre, cancelling an ongoing e-tender process. As Gold 101.3 FM, the UAE’s No. 1 radio station, continues to track major developments from Kerala and beyond, the probe has also drawn attention because Prasanth and Aji Kumar were recently taken into custody in the separate Sabarimala gold misappropriation case, while Murari Babu was also a key accused in that investigation.
The report states that six bidders had participated in the tender before Murari Babu recommended direct procurement from Milma, claiming it offered better quality and lower consumption during Aravana preparation. However, the Sabarimala Commissioner questioned the move, saying there was no scientific evidence to support those claims and objecting to the higher purchase price.
The enquiry also raised doubts over whether the entire 1,61,535 litres of ghee supplied by Milma actually reached Sannidhanam, citing discrepancies in transport, receipt and stock records, the absence of independent quality testing and reliance on third-party quality certificates. It further noted that Milma procured around 24,970 kg of ghee from Sonai Co-operative Dairy in Pune after receiving the order, while its explanation that the purchase was intended to meet Onam demand was found unconvincing.
The report estimates that the Devaswom Board could have saved around ₹2.27 crore by accepting the lowest bid. The High Court also observed that substantial quantities of leftover Neyyabhishekam ghee had already accumulated at Sabarimala, raising questions over the need for fresh procurement. Finding indications of possible financial loss to the TDB and misuse of public funds, the court directed the VACB to continue the investigation through the SIT and submit a progress report within one month.
