Fake Purchases, False 'Damage' Claims: Devaswom Vigilance Finds Irregularities at Sabarimala Main Store
Pathanamthitta: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) Vigilance has uncovered large-scale irregularities and fake transactions in the purchase of materials for the Sabarimala Main Store. The shocking findings emerged during a vigilance investigation conducted in 2021.
The vigilance team, which investigated a complaint against former Main Store Superintendent S. Manu, found that the irregularities caused an estimated loss of around ₹10 lakh during the period from 2017 to 2020, according to the report.
The investigation found that stock records falsely showed purchases of materials amounting to nearly twice the actual requirement. In the case of Ashtabhishekam offerings, the records indicated that materials worth five times the required quantity had been withdrawn.
During surprise inspections at the Main Store in 2020, vigilance officials discovered large quantities of honey and ingredients used for Aravana preparation that were not accounted for in the official records. There is currently no information on what happened to the excess Aravana materials after the inspection. Investigators say it must be examined whether the materials were illegally sold or whether other irregularities took place. The report also points to financial fraud through falsely reporting a large quantity of materials supplied for Aravana packaging as "damaged."
These revelations come in the wake of the recent ghee irregularity controversy. The vigilance report found that the Main Store had purchased more than five times the quantity of materials actually required. The excess procurement was allegedly carried out under the guise of materials needed for Abhishekam rituals. The report also states that employees who have been working in the Main Store for years were involved in the irregularities. Suppliers are also suspected to have been part of the fake procurement transactions.
The vigilance report submitted to the Devaswom Ombudsman recommends a special audit of all purchase transactions and calls for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged financial irregularities.