Missing equipment, tender violations: Vigilance flags irregularities across Kerala Sports Council offices

Thiruvananthapuram: A statewide Vigilance inspection has uncovered alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Kerala State Sports Council and district sports councils, including missing sports equipment, tender violations, improper utilisation of funds and lapses in maintaining financial and stock records.

The findings emerged during ‘Operation Kalikkalam’, a surprise inspection conducted at the State Sports Council headquarters and all 14 district Sports Council offices on Thursday as part of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau’s ‘Project Zero’ initiative.

The Vigilance said several district councils had failed to fully utilise funds received under the Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) within the stipulated period. It also found that athletes who had not qualified at district-level championships were allegedly sent to state-level competitions, while sports equipment purchased with council funds remained undistributed or could not be accounted for.

The inspection also found that registration fees from athletes were collected through UPI transactions without proper receipts at several offices. Tender and quotation procedures were allegedly not followed for various projects and purchases, while vouchers often lacked basic details. Several offices were also found to be deficient in maintaining cash books, purchase, property and disposal registers, as well as contract records.

Irregularities were also detected in the leasing of indoor stadiums, with different rental rates allegedly being charged for the same facilities. At some offices, officials were found to have received payments through UPI from contractors awarded Sports Council projects, the Vigilance said.

At the State Sports Council headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the agency found that PYKKA funds had not been fully utilised by district councils and alleged serious supervisory lapses by the state council.

The inspection found that athletes who had stopped attending sports hostels continued to be included in attendance records, with expenditure on them continuing until the State Sports Council made corresponding deductions. Sports equipment purchased by the council was also allegedly not properly entered in stock registers or documented when distributed.

The Vigilance further found that consultants had been appointed without the required government sanction and that various allowances had been paid to a former State Sports Council president without proper sanction orders.

Between 2019 and May 2021, a government employee allegedly functioned as president of a district sports council without the required government order or permission and subsequently received travel and other allowances without following prescribed procedures.

A technical officer who worked as a permanent coach with the Sports Council between July 2022 and May 2026 was allegedly paid house rent allowance despite regularly using a room at the P T Usha Coaching Centre near the Sports Council office as accommodation, the agency said.

Several sports equipment and other items received from the National Games Academy and recorded as being in stock could not be traced during the inspection, the Vigilance said. Five laptops listed in the stock register were also reportedly missing from the office.

District-wise findings

• Kollam: Vigilance found that several vouchers did not contain basic details such as voucher numbers, shop names, proprietor names or institutional seals. Multiple payments were allegedly made under auto charges. Sports equipment received from the State Sports Council was also found stored at the district office instead of being distributed to athletes.
• Pathanamthitta: Officials could not produce several registers and files relating to contracts sought by the Vigilance team.
• Alappuzha: The district council was found to have purchased sports equipment worth ₹2.22 lakh from a private firm without following tender procedures under its ‘Venalappadam’ training programme. The Vigilance also found that chemicals worth ₹12 lakh for the Raja Kesavadas Swimming Pool had allegedly been purchased without following tender procedures. Records relating to their storage and use had not been properly maintained, it said. The pool's maintenance work was also allegedly awarded to a private firm without inviting tenders.
• Kottayam: The Vigilance found that different rental rates were being charged for the same indoor stadium. A senior clerk allegedly collected athletes' registration fees through UPI without issuing proper receipts. Several sports equipment listed in the stock register were also found missing during physical verification, while prescribed tender procedures were allegedly not followed for purchases.
• Idukki: The agency found that caution deposits collected from athletes for volleyball academy training had not been refunded.
• Ernakulam: 93 sports kits received by the district council under the ‘Kick Drugs’ project were found stored in a storeroom. The kits had allegedly neither been entered in the stock register nor distributed.
• Thrissur: 10 shop rooms at the aquatic complex under the district Sports Council were allegedly given out without collecting rent. The Vigilance also found that bills for ₹15.40 lakh spent under the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan had not been submitted and that registers were not properly maintained.
• Malappuram: Sports equipment was allegedly distributed without maintaining stock or distribution registers. The agency also found that sports equipment had been purchased without completing the required quotation procedures.
• Kozhikode: Files relating to several projects implemented by the district Sports Council were reportedly missing. Sports equipment remaining after distribution could not be accounted for during the inspection. Air conditioners received through the State Sports Council from the National Games Secretariat had not been entered in the property register and officials could not explain their whereabouts.
• The Vigilance also found that purchase, stock and disposal registers had not been maintained since 2021 and that the cash book was not being properly maintained. Of the security deposits collected from rooms rented out by the district council, ₹1.30 crore had allegedly been diverted for other purposes. Records of revenue collected from summer and selection camps conducted before 2024 were also not available, the agency said.
• Kannur: The district council was found to have purchased a vehicle and appointed a driver for office purposes without following prescribed procedures. The Vigilance also detected an alleged irregularity involving ₹70,000 in connection with the 2022 State Volleyball Championship.
• Kasaragod: Two athletes who had not qualified at the 2025 Kasaragod District Revenue Archery Championship in Cheruvathur were allegedly sent to participate in the state archery championship. The Vigilance also found that an office assistant at the district Sports Council had allegedly received ₹38,400 through Google Pay from the contractor of a swimming pool under the council.

The Vigilance said a detailed follow-up investigation would be conducted into the irregularities detected during the statewide inspection and strict legal action would be taken against those found responsible.

Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham said stronger monitoring mechanisms and inspections would be introduced under Project Zero to ensure transparency in athlete selection, conduct of championships, utilisation of government funds and sports equipment, and management of stadiums and other institutions under the Sports Council. He urged the public to report information about corruption to the Vigilance toll-free number 1064, phone number 8592900900 or WhatsApp number 9447789100.