Former Badrinath Temple Officer Arrested In Alleged Theft Case: Expensive Saffron, Foreign Currencies Recovered

In a significant development in the alleged Badrinath Temple donation theft case, former temple officer Rajendra Chauhan has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), reported ANI. Officials said Chauhan was taken into custody after nearly four hours of intensive questioning as part of the ongoing probe into financial irregularities linked to temple donations.The Uttarakhand Police recovered foreign currencies along with expensive saffron and other materials during a raid at Chauhan's premises. The raids were launched based on leads provided by Chauhan himself after his arrest. Giving an update on the raids, SIT Investigation Officer Mahadev Uniyal told ANI, "Saffron and some other materials have been recovered. Foreign currencies have also

been found. Accused is not cooperating, as far as cash is concerned."Authorities confirmed that Chauhan will be produced before a court on July 18. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been probing the alleged theft of offerings at Uttarakhand's Badrinath temple. Earlier on Thursday, an inquiry committee constituted by the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) to probe the alleged theft has submitted its report. The BKTC constituted the committee after allegations of misappropriation of temple offerings surfaced on social media on July 2.Based on the committee's preliminary report, Pramod Nautiyal – who was posted as a personal assistant in the BKTC chairman's office – was suspended. Subsequently, a case was registered against Nautiyal, who was arrested on July 13. The SIT is probing the possibility of others being involved apart from Nautiyal.

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Sandesh Mehta, the temple treasurer, has also been transferred after instances of overwriting were found in the register recording the offerings made at the shrine.BKTC Chief Executive Officer Sohan Singh Rangad confirmed that the four-member team has submitted its 18-page investigation report, which offers several suggestions to prevent the theft of temple offerings.These include implementing a dress code during the counting process, installing new CCTV cameras in the uncovered areas and the counting centre, making the surveillance system more robust and accountable, and establishing a procedure to involve devotees in the counting process.An investigation into the case by a three-member committee constituted under the direction of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and headed by Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swarup is also underway.