Supreme Court orders strict oversight of Banke Bihari Temple donations

The Supreme Court of India has issued strict directives regarding the management of donations at the Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan. Following allegations of siphoning and embezzlement, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant ordered that every penny offered by devotees must be deposited directly into official donation boxes or transferred via online channels to the temple treasury.

The court's decision follows a status report submitted by senior advocate Maninder Singh, which included video evidence and photographs allegedly showing individuals collecting cash from devotees and placing it into personal plastic bags instead of the traditional 'golak' (donation box).

In addition to ensuring transparency, the court mandated that the temple management committee implement a robust system to prevent irregularities. The bench warned that any obstruction by 'sevayats' (temple servants) or other individuals in this process would be treated with extreme seriousness. Furthermore, the court ruled that any proposal to purchase land or property using temple funds must be presented to the court for approval before any transaction is finalized.