Overview
- High Court sought a detailed explanation from the Travancore Devaswom Board after an audit flagged serious lapses in the Global Ayyappa Meet accounts, including no‑tender work awards, missing certifications and unresolved GST input credit gaps.
- Judges ordered the TDB vigilance wing to investigate suspicious remittances by temple staff, with about ₹14.08 lakh sent via money orders during the recent pilgrimage season and a comprehensive report due in three weeks before a March 11 hearing.
- The SIT returned to Sabarimala to take fresh samples for metallurgical analysis after court approval, with the team directed to file a report by February 19 on the specimens collected and the labs engaged.
- Procedural delays led courts to grant statutory bail to several accused, including former TDB president N. Vasu and ex‑Thiruvabharanam Commissioner K. S. Baiju, after charge sheets were not filed within 90 days.
- Justice A. Badharudeen rejected Smart Creations CEO Pankaj Bhandari’s plea challenging his arrest in the gold‑misappropriation probe, as the SIT alleges his role in a conspiracy involving the Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil door frames.