An official in the office of the chairman of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has been arrested in Uttarakhand for allegedly misappropriating temple donations, police said Monday. The accused, Pramod Nautiyal, was arrested from his residence in Dehradun late Sunday and produced in court.
According to Chamoli Police, the official was accused of misappropriating ‘thali bhent’ (plate offerings) at Badrinath Dham. A written complaint was submitted at Badrinath Police Station on July 8 by Yudhveer Pushpwan, officer-in-charge of the Badrinath Temple, on behalf of the BKTC. The complaint stated that after information was received regarding financial irregularities during the counting of ‘thali bhent’ donations on July 2, the chairman of the temple committee ordered a departmental inquiry.
The investigation found that the accused allegedly removed Rs 500 currency notes, packets containing gold and silver coins, a Shaligram stone, and a packet of saffron from the counting room and illegally took them into his possession. Statements of the complainant and other relevant witnesses have been recorded. Based on the CCTV footage and other documentary evidence, the police said they had gathered sufficient evidence against the accused.
Preliminary inquiry found prima facie evidence that Nautiyal, an employee of the temple committee, had illegally taken temple cash and other offerings from the donation counting room for his personal benefit. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered at Badrinath Police Station for theft by clerk or servant and aggravated criminal breach of trust of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) had earlier taken disciplinary action by suspending Nautiyal. A show-cause notice was served to Nautiyal on July 3, after allegations of irregularities in the discharge of his official duties came to light. Nautiyal had moved the Uttarakhand High Court after the FIR seeking relief in the matter, but the high court had asked the state counsel to get instructions and listed it on July 16.
