Kerala Court Orders Vigilance Probe into Ghee Procurement Irregularities

The Kerala High Court has mandated a special team vigilance investigation into alleged financial and procedural irregularities in the supply of Milma ghee to the Sabarimala Sannidhanam for the 2025–26 pilgrimage season. Justices V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and K. V. Jayakumar ordered the Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to submit a detailed report within 10 days. This decision follows reports from the Sabarimala Special Commissioner and the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

The investigation revealed that although Kumkuma Raj Dairy of Tamil Nadu submitted the lowest bid of ₹369 per liter through an e-tender process, the contract was awarded to Milma at ₹510 per liter. This decision was influenced by a recommendation from the late Executive Officer Murari Babu, who cited Milma’s claimed superior quality. However, investigators found no evidence supporting this quality claim, estimating a potential savings of ₹2.27 crore if the lower bid had been accepted.

Further discrepancies were noted, including Milma sourcing 24,970 kg of ghee from Sonai Cooperative Dairy in Pune at ₹497 per liter. There were also no records of mandatory food safety checks or quality verifications upon delivery at the Sannidhanam.

The Travancore Devaswom Board's legal counsel stated that an independent inquiry was initiated on August 1 to determine if Milma breached contractual obligations or food safety regulations. The state government is conducting broader administrative reviews to identify personnel involved in bypassing procurement rules.

This judicial intervention highlights increasing scrutiny over transparency and governance in major Indian religious trusts and dairy cooperatives. The VACB's 10-day probe emphasizes the importance of transparent competitive bidding and stringent quality verification in public and institutional procurements.