The Kerala High Court on Friday expressed strong disapproval of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) granting VIP darshan privileges to actor Dileep at the Sabarimala temple on December 5, which reportedly disrupted the experience of other devotees.

Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna instructed the TDB to provide CCTV footage of the incident by Saturday and sought for a detailed report from the executive officer. The Court emphasized that it would consider whether contempt proceedings should be initiated against those responsible for hindering the worship of regular pilgrims due to VIP treatment. The Bench remarked, "No one is allowed to obstruct Darshan. Bring the CCTV footage. Some pilgrims are struggling to offer dakshina without proper darshan. We will assess whether these individuals should be named as respondents, and whether they should be granted any privileges." The court also expressed concerns about the lack of police control in the area.

The Court’s comments were in response to a report by the Additional District Magistrate regarding the December 5 incident when Dileep’s VIP visit led to congestion near the sanctum sanctorum, obstructing the view and inconveniencing other pilgrims. The Court directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to take immediate corrective measures, particularly improving crowd management and ensuring order during the festival season. The court emphasised  that steps be taken to prevent such disruptions, which affect vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

The matter is scheduled for further hearing on December 7.