Kerala High Court Orders Vigilant Probe into Shrine Fund Misappropriation Scandal

A blatant misappropriation of funds at the Sabarimala shrine involving TDB employees has prompted the Kerala High Court to order a vigilance probe. The bench has expressed shock at the systemic failures and corruption, directing an immediate investigation into the significant financial discrepancies.

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday took decisive action, ordering a vigilance probe into a suspected misappropriation of funds by Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) employees at the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala.

Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar have mandated the Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to register a crime and form a team of 'competent officers' to investigate the matter. The investigation is to proceed with updates to the court within a month.

The court revealed that discrepancies in ghee sales pointed to critical failures in the board's financial management, leading to a loss of over Rs 35 lakh. The confronted misconduct underscores deeper issues of accountability and leadership within the institution.

(With inputs from agencies.)