{
  "id": 293482,
  "title": "Former TDB chief among 3 booked in Sabarimala ghee case",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/former-tdb-chief-among-3-booked-in-sabarimala-ghee-case",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-08T03:35:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/former-tdb-chief-among-3-booked-in-sabarimala-ghee-case-101786130959963.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former TDB chief PS Prasanth, along with two others, have been booked by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) over alleged irregularities in the procurement and supply of ghee to Sabarimala temple. The trio, including former TDB member A Ajikumar and former administrative officer Murari Babu, face charges of mishandling temple assets. Babu passed away on June 13 due to prolonged medical issues. The FIR was filed two days after a Kerala high court division bench ordered the SIT formation, following reports of alleged irregularities in Milma ghee procurement. The ghee, intended for Sabarimala's aravana payasam, was primarily sourced from Milma, a state milk cooperative. The TDB approved the purchase of 1.65 lakh litres at a higher price, despite objections from a vigilance officer who raised concerns over bypassing the e-tender process and lower-quality alternatives. Milma chairman KS Mani denied any quality lapses and welcomed the probe. The high court directed the SIT to thoroughly investigate all issues within a month.",
  "summary": "Three individuals, including the former TDB president PS Prasanth, have been booked by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in connection with irregularities related to the procurement and supply of Milma ghee to Sabarimala temple. The FIR, filed before a Vigilance court in Kollam, also includes former TDB member A Ajikumar and former administrative officer Murari Babu, who passed away on June 13. The irregularities allegedly include bypassing standard tender procedures, concerns over the quality of the ghee supplied, and possible misappropriation of temple assets. The TDB's actions had reportedly saved the organization ₹2.27 crore, as the lowest bidder had quoted significantly lower prices for the ghee. The investigation will be conducted by the SIT under the direction of the high court, which has asked for a progress report within a month.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}