Suspended Badrinath Temple committee employee arrested in donation theft case
Uttarakhand Police have arrested Pramod Nautiyal, a suspended employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), in connection with the alleged theft and misappropriation of donations at the revered Badrinath Dham temple. The arrest marks the first major breakthrough in the ongoing investigation.
Nautiyal, who worked as a personal assistant in the office of the BKTC chairman, was taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) after an internal inquiry flagged alleged irregularities in the handling of temple offerings. He was reportedly arrested after being questioned by investigators and will be produced before a court.
The case came to light after discrepancies were detected during the counting of donations made by devotees at the shrine. An FIR was subsequently registered against Nautiyal on charges related to theft and criminal breach of trust, prompting a multi-agency investigation involving the police, the SIT and the BKTC.
Investigators are examining CCTV footage, financial records and witness statements to determine the extent of the alleged misappropriation. Officials said the probe is continuing and further arrests have not been ruled out if evidence points to the involvement of others.
The alleged donation theft has drawn significant public attention, with the Uttarakhand government directing strict action against those found responsible and stressing the need for transparency in the management of temple funds.
