The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has arrested transport contractor S S Binu in the Sabarimala ghee diversion case, alleging that 11,040 kg of ghee meant for the hill shrine was sold to two agencies in Tamil Nadu before being replaced with a cheaper product.
Binu, who secured the contract to transport ghee from the Pathanamthitta Milma dairy to Sabarimala for the 2025 pilgrimage season, was produced before the Kollam vigilance court and remanded in judicial custody for two weeks. He is the first person arrested by the special investigation team (SIT) constituted to examine the allegations.
According to the remand report, Binu allegedly diverted the consignment to Sri Venkateswara Traders and Leo Traders in Tamil Nadu for financial gain. The SIT also found that forged documents were allegedly used to move the ghee through checkposts, according to the report cited by the Times of India.
The VACB has estimated that the alleged diversion of the original ghee, followed by its replacement with a cheaper product, caused a loss of around Rs 2.5 crore to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). The case concerns ghee procured from Milma for preparing 20,000 units of aravana, a key offering at Sabarimala.
The alleged irregularity came to light after complaints that the entire contracted quantity had not reached the temple. The Sabarimala special commissioner subsequently submitted a report, following which the devaswom chief vigilance officer conducted a preliminary inquiry and filed a report before the Kerala High Court. The VACB investigation is being conducted by an SIT on the court’s directive.
The case places the movement of a high-value religious-consumption supply chain under scrutiny, from procurement and transport to checkpost documentation and receipt at the shrine. The allegations also involve the quality of the replacement product, making the matter relevant to both financial oversight and the integrity of supplies used in temple operations.
Milma did not participate in the open tender for supplying ghee to Sabarimala during the current season. Its decision not to bid is understood to be linked to the controversy last season over the alleged supply of counterfeit ghee in its name. The supplied report does not establish any finding against Milma in the present diversion case.
The TDB had initially said it would not procure ghee during the current season, but later invited tenders after determining that devotees’ offerings would not be sufficient to meet demand. Three bidders participated in the tender. Their eligibility is due to be examined, with approval expected within a day or two, according to the report.
