Kerala High Court Condemns VIP Treatment for Actor Dileep at Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court has expressed anger over the treatment received by Malayalam actor Dileep during his visit to Sabarimala. Dileep, a controversial actor involved in a 2017 sexual harassment case, was given "VIP" treatment during his visit to Sabarimala. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and state police allowed Dileep to skip the regular queue, which sparked outrage in the Kerala High Court. The court questioned how many common devotees were waiting while Dileep was given special treatment with police escorts.

The Kerala High Court raised concerns about the VIP treatment and the potential disruption caused to other devotees. The court commented that, due to VIP darshan, other devotees, including children and women, had to wait for hours in the queue. The court also emphasized that such incidents could obstruct the darshan of pilgrims, particularly children, senior citizens, and disabled individuals. The TDB was ordered to take immediate action to prevent such occurrences and submit a report by Monday, including CCTV footage of the area for review.

Following a report from the Special Commissioner stating that Dileep's visit had disrupted the movement of pilgrims at Sabarimala, the court issued these orders. The court warned that if VIP treatment continues during the busy Mandala Makaravilakku festival season, it could lead to contempt actions. The court stressed that all devotees should be treated equally, and darshan should be provided through a virtual queue system for everyone, regardless of their status. The TDB President, P.S. Prashanth, responded by stating that the Vigilance SP is investigating the matter and that actions would be taken against those involved in Dileep’s case.