Ghee packets worth ₹16 lakh missing from Sabarimala, probe underway
Pathanamthitta: Even as an investigation is underway into the alleged theft of gold at Sabarimala, another serious irregularity has come to light—this time involving the distribution of aadiya sishta neyy, the ghee left over from the sacred neyyabhishekam ritual. Around 16,000 packets of ghee, valued at nearly ₹16 lakh, entrusted to a sales counter have reportedly gone missing, prompting the Devaswom Vigilance to launch an inquiry.
Aadiya sishta neyy is commonly purchased by pilgrims who are unable to perform the neyyabhishekam offering. The ghee is sold in 100 ml pouches at ₹100 each. According to established procedure, the temple’s Special Officer receives the ghee stock and distributes it to designated counters for sale.
The irregularity surfaced during a vigilance inspection, which revealed that the amount due from the sale of the ghee packets had not been remitted to the Devaswom Board’s account. The discrepancy pertains to sales conducted during the ongoing Mandala season.
At Sabarimala, ticket sales and ghee distribution are handled at separate counters. Priests from temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board are assigned duties at these counters. However, vigilance officials found that daily records—such as the number of packets filled, issued for sale, sold, and remaining in stock—were not properly maintained. This lack of documentation is believed to have created opportunities for malpractice.
Sources indicate that similar irregularities may have occurred in previous years as well, but were often dismissed as mere “accounting errors.” The absence of proper registers tracking the process from ghee packet filling to final distribution has reportedly enabled repeated lapses.
Even as the vigilance inquiry progresses, there are allegations that attempts are being made at the official level to quietly settle the issue.
Responding to the controversy, Devaswom Executive Officer O.G. Biju said, “As soon as we received information about the irregularity, the matter was handed over to the Vigilance wing. Let the truth come out. No one will be protected, and strict action will be taken against those responsible.”