The state audit department has submitted a report to the Kerala High Court, revealing that the Cochin Devaswom Board (CDB) spent Rs 28.44 lakh on furnishing official quarters, purchasing household items, and replacing the official vehicle of the devaswom commissioner without clear legal authority and in violation of proper procedure.
Audit Report Findings
The report, submitted by the audit department deputy director following a court directive, stated that the utilization of devaswom funds, held in trust by CDB on behalf of the deity, for the commissioner appointed on deputation for a limited tenure could not be justified and was not in conformity with the principles of financial propriety. It further noted that there is no provision for granting furnished residential accommodation to CDB employees.
Expenditure Details
CDB spent Rs 13.81 lakh on furnishing the official quarters of Udayakumar S R, who was appointed devaswom commissioner on deputation for a year in 2024, with his service extended for an additional year. The expenditure included Rs 4.23 lakh on household items such as a refrigerator, water purifier, induction cooker, water heater, 43-inch LED TV, sofa set, divan cot, dining table with chairs, two double cots, two double mattresses, two tables, four chairs, a washing machine, inverter, and curtains.
Additionally, Rs 14.63 lakh was spent on replacing the commissioner's official vehicle with a new Maruti Grand Vitara. The audit department pointed out that there is no provision in the CDB (Payment of Travelling and Halting Allowance to President and Members of the Board) Rules for the allotment of a vehicle for the devaswom commissioner.
Irregularities in Vehicle Replacement
The report also alleged several irregularities in the replacement of the vehicle. Although the old vehicle was replaced citing a serious braking issue, no expert inspection report or supporting documents were found in the relevant file. The old vehicle, registered in 2020 and having covered only 86,419 km, was replaced in violation of a 2019 government order mandating that vehicles may be replaced only after completing either three lakh kilometers or 10 years of service.
