Badrinath temple offering theft case: BKTC investigation committee submits 18-page report, recommends strengthening security arrangements

Gopeshwar. The four-member investigation committee of Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) constituted in the case of alleged theft of offerings in the famous Badrinath Dham of Uttarakhand has submitted its 18-page detailed report. The report makes several important suggestions to make the donation calculation process more transparent and secure. At the same time, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police investigating the case is also deeply investigating the role of other possible accused.

Important tips given for the safety of offerings

BKTC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sohan Singh Rangar confirmed receiving the report. According to temple committee sources, several corrective measures have been suggested in the report to prevent theft or misappropriation of offerings. Mainly among these..

• Enforcing dress code for employees during calculation of offerings.
• Identifying blind spots in the temple premises and counting centers and installing new CCTV cameras there.
• To make the monitoring system more effective and accountable.
• To prepare a clear and transparent system of counting process for the participation of devotees.

Investigation committee was formed after allegations on social media

On July 2, BKTC had formed an inquiry committee after allegations of alleged manipulation in the offerings of Badrinath temple surfaced on social media. Based on the preliminary investigation report, Pramod Nautiyal, posted as Personal Assistant in the Speaker’s office, was suspended. Later the police registered a case against him and arrested him on the basis of evidence found during the investigation.

Cashier transferred after overwriting found in register

After overwriting was found in the record register of offerings during the investigation, Treasurer Sandesh Mehta has also been removed from the related work and transferred elsewhere.

SIT is also examining old CCTV footage

The SIT investigating the case is now trying to find out who else apart from Pramod Nautiyal could be involved in this alleged misappropriation. The SIT formed under the chairmanship of Chamoli Deputy Superintendent of Police Madan Singh is analyzing CCTV footage related to Nautiyal’s previous activities. Besides, old CCTV records are also being scrutinized. The police is preparing to take the help of experts to recover the deleted footage.

Investigation of high level committee also continues

On the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, a three-member high-level committee formed under the chairmanship of Garhwal Division Commissioner Anand Swaroop is also parallelly investigating the matter.