Pathanamthitta (Kerala) | The VACB has arrested a Devaswom official in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds during the Sabarimala 'mandala-makaravilakku' festival last year.
The case pertains to irregularities in the sale of 'Adiya Sishtam ghee', a sacred offering sold to devotees at the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. The ghee is sold in packets by the Travancore Devaswom Board during the pilgrimage season.
According to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau officials, around Rs 36.24 lakh collected from the sale of the ghee packets last year was not remitted to the Devaswom Board, resulting in a significant financial loss.
The accused, K R Sunilkumar Potty, a native of Aroor in Alappuzha district, was arrested on Tuesday by the Vigilance Pathanamthitta unit.
He is the former priest of the Chaliyekkara Bhadrakali Temple, which comes under the Punalur Group of the TDB.
Sunilkumar Potty had been entrusted by the Devaswom Board with overseeing the sale of 'Adiya Sishtam Ghee' at Sabarimala during the 2025 'mandala-makaravilakku' season.
Vigilance officials said employees assigned to sell the ghee packets allegedly failed to deposit the full amount collected after sales.
Instead, stock records were manipulated, leading to the misappropriation of Rs 36.24 lakh.
The arrest follows a Kerala High Court order dated January 13, directing a vigilance probe into the alleged scam.
A division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar had asked the VACB to register a case and form a special investigation team.
The High Court expressed strong concern over the incident, stating that it was "shocked and deeply disturbed" by the large-scale diversion of funds in less than two months.
The bench noted "serious failures" in supervision, stock control, and timely remittance of collections.
It also observed that it was "inconceivable" that such misappropriation could have occurred without the knowledge or willful neglect of officials at higher administrative levels.
The accused was produced before the Kollam Vigilance Court, and further investigation is underway.
The vigilance team has been directed to submit a progress report to the High Court within one month.
