Kerala HC forms six-member SIT to probe Milma ghee supply to Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday, August 5, constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate alleged irregularities in the procurement and supply of Milma ghee to the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple.

A bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar directed that the SIT, comprising officers of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), will be headed by Superintendent of Police M J Sojan.

Sojan is also investigating the alleged criminal misappropriation of proceeds from the sale of 'Adiya Sishtam Ghee' at the Sabarimala shrine.

The High Court directed the SIT to carry out the investigation with "utmost diligence and vigour."

In its order, the bench said the probe must cover all issues highlighted in the report submitted by the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer, as well as every aspect that the court had specifically directed to be examined in its August 3, 2026 order.

In the earlier order, the High Court had directed the investigation team, once constituted, to register a criminal case based on the report submitted by the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer. It had also instructed the team to conduct a meticulous, coordinated and effective investigation into the alleged irregularities.

The court further directed the SIT not to disclose any details of the investigation to the public or the media and asked it to submit a progress report before the High Court within one month.

The state government had recently ordered a probe following allegations that the state-run dairy cooperative Milma supplied inferior-quality ghee to the Sabarimala temple during the 2025-26 pilgrimage season and that there were irregularities in the quantity of ghee supplied.