2 weeks ago
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The Kerala High Court has expressed superior interest astatine 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 astatine the Sabarimala temple. The HC was proceeding a suo motu petition that was initiated based connected a study by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner connected the alleged unauthorised proviso of pooja materials by Sunil Kumar alias Sunil Swamy, and the alleged misappropriation successful the purchase.
The HC observed that the study raises matters of superior interest relating to the medication of the Sabarimala Temple, fiscal propriety successful the behaviour of poojas, accountability of temple officials, and the wide transparency of the functioning of the TDB.
One of the main issues highlighted successful the study relates to the behaviour of “Ashtabhishekam” poojas and the mode successful which supplier costs person allegedly been ‘claimed and appropriated’ for respective years by successive administrative officers nether the guise of ‘supplier costs’. Prima facie, we neglect to recognize why, erstwhile each the materials required for conducting Ashtabhishekam could conveniently beryllium supplied done the Devaswom Store itself, the Board permitted procurement of lone 3 items done the Administrative Officer by separately claiming supplier costs, the HC observed.
No receipts
Another superior contented highlighted successful the study pertains to the proviso of pooja materials by Sunil Kumar. An enquiry conducted by the Vigilance Officer allegedly revealed that nary receipts had been issued to him successful respect of the supplies allegedly made by him. The study further states that the quality, purity and quantity of the materials supplied by him were ne'er verified oregon certified by immoderate competent authority, the tribunal added.
Another highly superior allegation raised successful the study is that, contempt the pooja materials allegedly being supplied by Sunil Kumar, reimbursement claims were simultaneously being made by the Administrative Officer for the procurement of the precise aforesaid materials, it said and directed the lasting counsel acrophobic to get circumstantial instructions regarding the ‘acts and conduct’ of Sunil Kumar, and to explicate nether what authorization and circumstances the Devaswom Board permitted him to proceed supplying materials to the temple administration.
Tenure particulars
The tribunal besides directed the TDB to record a elaborate connection furnishing the tenure particulars of officers specified arsenic the Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Temple Special Officers and different elder officials present serving astatine Sabarimala. This is due to the fact that definite officers person continued to inhabit 1 station oregon different astatine Sannidhanam for prolonged periods. Such attraction of administrative power successful delicate posts whitethorn not augur good for the efficient, transparent and impartial functioning of the temple administration, it said.
The tribunal past went connected to nonstop the Director, Kerala State Audit department, to behaviour a elaborate introspection of the accounts relating to the behaviour of Ashtabhishekams during the past 10 years, and to taxable a study earlier the court. The substance has been posted for proceeding connected May 28.
