The Kerala High Court has expressed serious concern at the alleged misappropriation of funds by administrative officers of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) during the past decade, relating to the procurement of materials needed for the ‘Astabhishekam’ ritual at the Sabarimala temple. The HC was hearing a suo motu petition that was initiated based on a report by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner on the alleged unauthorised supply of pooja materials by Sunil Kumar alias Sunil Swamy, and the alleged misappropriation in the purchase.

The HC observed that the report raises matters of serious concern relating to the administration of the Sabarimala Temple, financial propriety in the conduct of poojas, accountability of temple officials, and the overall transparency of the functioning of the TDB.

One of the principal issues highlighted in the report relates to the conduct of “Ashtabhishekam” poojas and the manner in which supplier costs have allegedly been ‘claimed and appropriated’ for several years by successive administrative officers under the guise of ‘supplier costs’. Prima facie, we fail to understand why, when all the materials required for conducting Ashtabhishekam could conveniently be supplied through the Devaswom Store itself, the Board permitted procurement of only three items through the Administrative Officer by separately claiming supplier costs, the HC observed.

No receipts

Another serious issue highlighted in the report pertains to the supply of pooja materials by Sunil Kumar. An enquiry conducted by the Vigilance Officer allegedly revealed that no receipts had been issued to him in respect of the supplies allegedly made by him. The report further states that the quality, purity and quantity of the materials supplied by him were never verified or certified by any competent authority, the court added.

Another extremely serious allegation raised in the report is that, despite the pooja materials allegedly being supplied by Sunil Kumar, reimbursement claims were simultaneously being made by the Administrative Officer for the procurement of the very same materials, it said and directed the standing counsel concerned to obtain specific instructions regarding the ‘acts and conduct’ of Sunil Kumar, and to explain under what authority and circumstances the Devaswom Board permitted him to continue supplying materials to the temple administration.

Tenure particulars

The court also directed the TDB to file a detailed statement furnishing the tenure particulars of officers such as the Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Temple Special Officers and other senior officials now serving at Sabarimala. This is because certain officers have continued to occupy one post or another at Sannidhanam for prolonged periods. Such concentration of administrative control in sensitive posts may not augur well for the efficient, transparent and impartial functioning of the temple administration, it said.

The court then went on to direct the Director, Kerala State Audit department, to conduct a detailed examination of the accounts relating to the conduct of Ashtabhishekams during the past ten years, and to submit a report before the court. The matter has been posted for hearing on May 28.