Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Wednesday moved swiftly to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged irregularities in the procurement of Milma ghee and other materials for the Sabarimala temple, making it the second SIT ordered in connection with the hill shrine’s affairs within two years.
The development comes in the wake of the Kerala High Court’s direction to constitute an SIT to investigate the alleged ghee procurement scam.
Last year, the High Court had ordered the formation of another SIT to probe the alleged gold scam linked to Sabarimala.
Complying with the latest direction, Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham submitted to the High Court a panel comprising five Vigilance inspectors for the investigation team and a shortlist of three IPS Superintendent of Police-rank officers.
M.J. Sojan has now been named to head the probe team.
Even as the SIT is set to begin its investigation into the alleged ghee procurement irregularities, another vigilance report has widened the scope of the controversy by pointing to serious lapses in the purchase of materials for the Sabarimala Main Store between 2017 and 2020.
According to the report submitted to the Devaswom Ombudsman, procurement far exceeded actual requirements, with officials allegedly purchasing more than five times the quantity required for temple operations under the guise of ritual requirements.
The inquiry, initiated on a complaint, also points to the possible involvement of suppliers in the procurement process.
Surprise inspections conducted in 2020 reportedly found excess stocks of honey and ingredients used for preparing ‘Aravana payasam’.
The report says there is no clear account of how the surplus materials were disposed of.
It also flags unusually high claims of damage to Aravana packing materials, suggesting that firms awarded supply contracts may also have played a role in the alleged irregularities.
Recommending a special audit of procurement transactions, the vigilance report has sought a comprehensive investigation into the functioning of the Main Store, indicating that the alleged malpractice may extend well beyond the Milma ghee controversy now under the scrutiny of the High Court-directed SIT.
(IANS)
