Kerala Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan on Wednesday wrote to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala demanding a wider investigation into alleged irregularities in the procurement and supply of ghee at Sabarimala, raising pointed questions about how a blacklisted company managed to secure a contract for the sacred temple's offerings and hinting at a possible high-level conspiracy.

What the Minister's Letter Reveals

According to Muraleedharan, an inquiry conducted by the Devaswom Vigilance SP and the Devaswom Secretary had already unearthed what he described as 'shocking irregularities' in the ghee deal. He urged the Home Department to entrust aspects of the case not covered by the existing probe to a Special Investigation Team (SIT), while ensuring no overlap with the ongoing High Court-monitored Vigilance inquiry.

The minister specifically flagged the circumstances under which a firm that had already been blacklisted was awarded the contract, suggesting the decision could not be viewed in isolation and may point to a larger conspiracy among those responsible for the procurement process.

Why the Sabarimala Ghee Contract Matters

The ghee procured under this contract is used directly in the preparation of Sabarimala's sacred offerings — the famed Aravana Payasam and related prasadam — making any irregularity in its sourcing, quality, or distribution far more consequential than a routine contractual dispute. For millions of devotees, the sanctity of these offerings is non-negotiable, which is why the alleged compromise of procurement safeguards has drawn both political and public outrage.

This comes amid a broader pattern of scrutiny over the Travancore Devaswom Board's contracting practices, with critics arguing that internal checks have repeatedly failed to prevent irregularities in temple-related tenders.

The Ongoing High Court-Monitored Probe

A special Vigilance team is already examining the ghee transaction following a direction from the Kerala High Court. Muraleedharan's demand for a parallel SIT probe is designed to cover angles that reportedly fall outside the current inquiry's scope — particularly questions around who approved the blacklisted firm's participation and whether officials deliberately bypassed existing safeguards.

Notably, the minister's intervention signals that the political establishment is no longer content to let the Vigilance inquiry run its course without additional accountability mechanisms.

Political and Administrative Fallout

With a sitting minister publicly raising the possibility of a high-level conspiracy, the focus is now expected to shift sharply to the decision-makers within the Travancore Devaswom Board — specifically, who cleared the blacklisted company's eligibility, at what level the approval was granted, and whether any oversight body was bypassed in the process.

The demand is likely to intensify political pressure on the Kerala government to act swiftly, particularly given the religious sensitivity attached to Sabarimala and the millions of pilgrims who visit the shrine each season.

What Comes Next

The Home Department is now expected to respond to Muraleedharan's letter, determining whether an SIT will be constituted and, if so, its terms of reference. Any new probe will need to be carefully calibrated to avoid conflicting with the High Court-monitored Vigilance investigation already under way. The outcome will be closely watched by religious bodies, opposition parties, and devotee groups alike.