Kerala HC slams police, Devaswom board over 'VIP darshan' to actor Dileep at Sabarimala

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday slammed the police and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for providing "VIP darshan" to Malayalam actor Dileep at the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala during the ongoing pilgrimage season, observing that it "hindered" darshan of many devotees who had stood in line for several hours.

A bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and Muralee Krishna S questioned on what basis such privilege was given to the actor on December 5 and directed that the CCTV footage of the same be submitted in the court on Saturday.

The court also sought a report from the police explaining how the preferential treatment was given to Dileep.

The bench said that the actor stood in the front row before the Sopanam throughout the 'Harivarasanam' (lullaby to Lord Ayyappa) till the close of the temple for the day.

"What is the privilege he is having? What is happening there? Will it not obstruct or hinder the darshan of other devotees, which includes children and aged persons, who have been standing in queue for several hours?

"Many of them had to wait and many others had to move on without having darshan. To whom will they complain? How was he permitted to stand there for so long? How was he given special treatment?" the court asked.

It said only persons in Constitutional positions were permitted such preferential treatment according to judicial orders, including those of the Supreme Court, and therefore, what happened on Thursday was a violation of the same.

"We will consider initiating contempt proceedings. We will also consider impleading the actor as a respondent," the bench said.

The bench took up the issue on its own based on news reports of the "special VIP darshan" given to Dileep at Sabarimala on Thursday during the ongoing annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage when there is a massive rush of devotees to the shrine each day from Kerala and its neighbouring states.