Badrinath Temple donation scandal prompts treasurer transfer and arrests

The Shri Badrinath‑Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has transferred its treasurer amid allegations of irregularities in handling donations at the Badrinath Temple in Uttarakhand. An internal four‑member departmental team submitted an 18‑page report highlighting discrepancies in the accounting of silver ornaments, suggesting possible misappropriation over multiple occasions.

CEO Sohan Singh Rangad announced the arrest of employee Pramod Nautiyal, caught on camera allegedly stealing offerings, and placed him in judicial custody. Rangad vowed that “no one found guilty will be spared,” underscoring cooperation with the police, a Special Investigation Team and a separate government‑level probe. He also addressed CCTV limitations, noting technical constraints that prevented full footage retrieval. Additionally, a personal assistant to the chairman, Pramod Nautiyal, was suspended, and the committee reiterated that donated laptops and ambulances remain in use.

The investigation aims to restore transparency and discipline within the temple’s financial management, with the findings to be shared with the BKTC chairman and potentially the government.