Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board has suspended Thrikkariyoor Group Assistant Devaswom Commissioner J Jayaprakash after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought prosecution action against him in connection with the Nilackal 'Annadanam' fraud.

The case relates to an alleged fraud involving forged bills and the misappropriation of temple funds for the 'Annadanam' (free food distribution) during Mandala–Makaravilakku festival season at the Nilackal Devaswom under the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

The TDB, in a statement, said it has granted permission to prosecute Jayaprakash at the ED's request.

Earlier this month, the ED had provisionally attached two immovable properties worth ₹40.48 lakh in the names of Jayaprakash and his wife, Sreeja Jayaprakash, located in Kollam.

The ED case stems from an FIR registered by the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau against Jayaprakash, then the Administrative Officer at the Nilackal Devaswom, and other officials of the TDB. The Nilakkal Mahadeva Temple, situated at Nilakkal in Pathanamthitta district, serves as the principal base camp for the Sabarimala pilgrimage and is administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board, under which the Nilackal Devaswom functions.

According to investigators, during the Mandala–Makaravilakku festival period of 2018–19, forged bills and invoices were allegedly generated in the name of M/s JP Traders, leading to the sanction of ₹59,96,029 from Devaswom funds. Of this amount, only one cheque worth ₹8,20,935 was legitimately paid to the actual supplier. The remaining three cheques were allegedly fraudulently encashed, resulting in a misappropriation of ₹51,77,194.