The Kerala High Court expressed strong disapproval on Friday towards the police and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for facilitating VIP access to Malayalam actor Dileep at the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala. This privilege, which occurred during the ongoing Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, reportedly obstructed the spiritual experience of numerous other devotees.
The bench, comprising Justices Anil K Narendran and Muralee Krishna S, demanded an explanation for the preferential treatment afforded to Dileep on December 5. The justices have instructed that CCTV footage from the event be presented in court this Saturday and called for a detailed police report on the incident.
During the incident in question, Dileep was seen occupying the front row near the Sopanam throughout the ‘Harivarasanam’—a lullaby sung to Lord Ayyappa—until the temple closed for the day. The court raised concerns about how this special treatment might have negatively affected other devotees, including the elderly and children, who had been waiting in line for hours.
Highlighting the judicial guidelines that allow only constitutional position holders to receive such preferential treatment, the bench noted that the actor’s VIP darshan was a clear violation of established norms. “What is the privilege he is having? What is happening there? Will it not obstruct or hinder the darshan of other devotees?” questioned the justices.
The court is considering initiating contempt proceedings and has also discussed the possibility of impleading actor Dileep as a respondent in the case. This legal scrutiny stems from a suo moto action taken by the bench following media reports about the incident.
