Developing Story·Chamoli·Updated 41d ago

SIT Identifies More Suspects in Badrinath Temple Donation Theft Case

A Special Investigation Team probing theft of donations at Badrinath Temple has received the BKTC inquiry report and identified additional suspects through CCTV footage.

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Current Summary

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating theft of donations at Badrinath Temple has arrested former Badrinath Temple officer Rajendra Chauhan, who has now been sent to 14-day judicial custody, according to an ANI News report published July 18, following an earlier Bhaskar English report of the same date stating CCTV footage shows daily removal of cash bundles and alleging bank staff were involved in the scheme. A New Indian Express report published July 18 states the SIT has sought 32 days of missing CCTV footage in connection with the case following Chauhan's arrest. A court has separately rejected a police remand plea for a Badrinath aide connected to the case, according to a Telegraph India report published July 20; this aide's identity and relationship to Chauhan or the second arrested man remain unclear. This follows earlier questioning of Chauhan per an indiagazette.com report published July 16 and an ANI News report of his arrest published July 17; a Rediff report published July 17 adds that the arrest followed roughly four hours of interrogation. Raids at Chauhan's premises have since recovered currency from multiple countries, according to a further ANI News report published July 17. The SIT has also arrested a second man accused of pocketing Badrinath Temple donations, according to a report by The Hindu published July 17. The SIT had received an 18-page inquiry report from the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) and identified additional suspects through CCTV footage, according to ANI News, News Arena India and thehawk.in reports published July 16. The Uttarakhand High Court has separately rejected a plea by the prime accused in the case seeking protection from arrest, according to an ETV Bharat report published July 16. The date of the alleged theft, the amount involved, the identity of the second man arrested and the newly named aide, Chauhan's specific role and the charges against all involved, the identities of any bank staff allegedly involved, the reason for the missing footage, and any further arrests have not been detailed in the available signals. Confirmation from the SIT or BKTC would be needed to establish the full scope of the investigation.

What We Know

A Special Investigation Team is probing theft of donations at Badrinath Temple.
The SIT has received an inquiry report from the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC).
Additional suspects have been identified through CCTV footage review.
The BKTC's internal inquiry report submitted to the SIT runs 18 pages.
The Uttarakhand High Court has rejected a plea by the prime accused seeking protection from arrest in the Badrinath Temple donation theft case.
SIT has questioned former Badrinath Temple officer Rajendra Chauhan in connection with the alleged donation theft.
Former Badrinath Temple officer Rajendra Chauhan has been arrested by the SIT investigating the donation theft case.
Raids at Rajendra Chauhan's premises recovered currency from multiple countries, according to ANI News (July 17).
A second man has been arrested by the SIT in connection with the Badrinath Temple donation theft case, per The Hindu (July 17).
Rajendra Chauhan's arrest followed approximately four hours of interrogation, according to Rediff.
CCTV footage reportedly shows daily removal of cash bundles from Badrinath Temple.
Bank staff are alleged to have been involved in the scheme.
Rajendra Chauhan has been sent to 14-day judicial custody, according to an ANI News report published July 18.
The SIT has sought 32 days of missing CCTV footage in the investigation, following the arrest of former Badrinath Temple officer Rajendra Chauhan, according to a New Indian Express report published July 18.
A court has denied a police remand plea for an aide connected to the Badrinath donation theft case, per a Telegraph India report published July 20.

What Is Still Unclear

The date and amount involved in the alleged theft
The number of suspects identified
Whether any arrests have been made
The timeline for completing the investigation

What Changed

20 Jul, 02:01 am
A court has rejected a police remand plea for a Badrinath aide connected to the temple donation theft case, according to a Telegraph India report published July 20. The aide's identity and relationship to previously named suspects, including former officer Rajendra Chauhan, have not been detailed.
18 Jul, 04:30 pm
The SIT investigating the Badrinath Temple donation theft has sought 32 days of missing CCTV footage following the arrest of former temple officer Rajendra Chauhan, according to a New Indian Express report published July 18.
18 Jul, 04:11 pm
Former Badrinath Temple officer Rajendra Chauhan has been sent to 14-day judicial custody, according to an ANI News report published July 18.
18 Jul, 11:41 am
A Bhaskar English report published July 18 states CCTV footage shows daily removal of cash bundles from Badrinath Temple, and alleges bank staff were involved, following the jailing of the former temple official.
18 Jul, 07:50 am
A Rediff report published July 17 adds that former Badrinath Temple officer Rajendra Chauhan was arrested following a four-hour interrogation, consistent with earlier reporting of his arrest in the donation theft case.
17 Jul, 05:41 pm
The SIT has arrested a second man accused of pocketing Badrinath Temple donations, according to a report by The Hindu published July 17.
17 Jul, 04:01 pm
Raids at former Badrinath Temple officer Rajendra Chauhan's premises have recovered currency from multiple countries, according to an ANI News report published July 17.
17 Jul, 12:50 pm
The SIT investigating theft of donations at Badrinath Temple has arrested former temple officer Rajendra Chauhan, according to an ANI News report published July 17, escalating from the earlier questioning reported a day prior.
17 Jul, 09:00 am
The SIT has questioned former Badrinath Temple officer Rajendra Chauhan in connection with the alleged donation theft, according to an indiagazette.com report published July 17.
16 Jul, 02:00 pm
The Uttarakhand High Court has rejected a plea filed by the prime accused in the Badrinath Temple donation theft case seeking protection from arrest, according to an ETV Bharat report published July 16.
16 Jul, 01:10 pm
The BKTC's inquiry report submitted to the SIT is 18 pages long, according to News Arena India and thehawk.in reports published July 16.
16 Jul, 10:41 am
Signal detected: SIT Identifies More Suspects in Badrinath Temple Donation Theft Case