Sabarimala Milma ghee irregularities to be investigated by Crime Branch: Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Kerala Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan has said that the Crime Branch will investigate the alleged irregularities in the supply of ghee to Sabarimala.
At Sabarimala, ghee is an essential ingredient in the preparation of Aravana, Appam and Panchamritham, and is also used in the prasadam offered to Lord Ayyappa.
The minister said the report submitted by Devaswom Secretary Rajamanikyam contains shocking findings. Based on the report, the Devaswom Department will write to the Home Department seeking a Crime Branch investigation. He added that the probe should be completed in a time-bound manner and those responsible must be identified.
Calling the incident a case of serious criminal negligence, Muraleedharan said the guilty would be brought before the law.
For the 2025–26 period, the Travancore Devaswom Board and Milma had entered into an agreement for the supply of 165,000 litres of ghee. Of this, Milma supplied 150,000 litres, while the remaining quantity was not delivered. The ghee reached Sabarimala in 30 batches of 5,000 litres each.
Only six of these batches could be tested, and all of them were found to be of substandard quality.
The minister said the issue was not merely one of food adulteration but also amounted to deceiving, cheating and exploiting the faith of devotees.
He said the entire process through which the ghee was transported from Milma to Sabarimala should be investigated to determine whether the irregularities occurred before the consignment reached Sabarimala or after its arrival.
Muraleedharan assured that such an incident would not be allowed to happen again and that the government would introduce preventive measures.
From now on, ghee used at Sabarimala will be tested on a batch-by-batch basis. If procured from outside, the movement of the ghee will be digitally tracked from the manufacturing unit to its final destination. The government will also ensure a digital movement register throughout the supply chain, the minister said.