The Kerala High Court has mandated a vigilance probe into the alleged misappropriation of approximately ₹35 lakh from the sale of 'Adiya Sishtam Ghee' at the renowned Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. This significant order, passed by a bench of Justices V Raja Vijayaraghavan and K V Jayakumar on January 13, 2026, comes after a report submitted by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner highlighted serious irregularities. The alleged financial fraud involves the non-remittance of proceeds from the sale of 'Adiya Sishtam Ghee' – the sacred ghee left over after the Neyyabhishekam offering – to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) accounts. Investigations revealed that between November 17, 2025, and January 2, 2026, the sale proceeds of thousands of ghee packets, estimated to be around ₹35 lakh, were not accounted for. Some reports suggest the misappropriation could be as high as ₹36.33 lakh. The High Court expressed shock at the scale of the irregularities within a short period, attributing it to "deep-rooted and systemic failures" in supervision, stock control, and verification mechanisms within the temple administration. It directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to form a team of competent officers, register a crime, and initiate a thorough investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act, with a progress report to be submitted within a month. An employee, Sunil Kumar Potti, was reportedly suspended after failing to issue receipts and delaying remittances. This new scandal surfaces closely on the heels of a major gold theft case at Sabarimala, where the temple's chief priest (Tantri), Kandararu Rajeevaru, was recently arrested. The court noted that if such significant amounts could be siphoned off in less than two months from just one revenue stream, the overall magnitude of misappropriation over a longer period across various streams could be much larger. The ongoing probes underscore serious concerns regarding the financial management and accountability within the revered pilgrimage centre.