Dehradun: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Saturday intensified its inquiry into suspected misappropriation of donations at Badrinath Dham, scrutinising new evidence that includes CCTV clips and the call detail records of the suspended employee accused in the case, ANI reported.
Uttarakhand Police said the footage appears to show the suspended Badrinath‑Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) staffer, Pramod Nautiyal, “suspiciously hiding or stealing” cash, gold and silver coins, shaligram stones and offering envelopes from the shrine’s donation counting room.
Investigators noted repeated trips between the counting room and his office, raising the possibility that the items were being concealed there.
Mid‑Probe Expansion
Police said the sequence captured in the CCTV footage from July 2 shows Nautiyal moving back and forth between the counting area and his office two to three times.
“The accused Pramod Nautiyal is seen suspiciously hiding or stealing bundles of Rs 500 and Rs 100 notes, along with gold and sil
ver coins, shaligram stones, and envelopes of offerings estimated to contain Rs 10 to 12 thousand rupees. Furthermore, while doing so, he is seen going back and forth between his office and the counting room two to three times. The police suspect that after stealing money, gold and silver coins, etc., from the counting room, he would store them in his office. This sequence of events was observed in the CCTV footage from July 2,” the Uttarakhand Police said.
The SIT has broadened its review, now examining CCTV recordings from June 25 and 29 and beginning analysis of Nautiyal’s call records as part of the probe.
Probe Origin & FIR
The investigation began after alleged discrepancies were discovered during the counting of devotees’ cash offerings on July 2, when a preliminary check reportedly found that money had been removed from the counting area in violation of procedures. An FIR was subsequently filed at Badrinath Police Station following a complaint lodged by BKTC in‑charge Temple Officer Yudhvir Pushpwan.
As the inquiry progressed, the SIT recorded statements from several BKTC officials, including the CCTV control officer Panwar and Harender Kothari, who was present during the donation count.
Legal Challenge
Meanwhile, Nautiyal has approached the Uttarakhand High Court challenging both his suspension and the FIR. The matter came up before Justice Alok Mehra, who directed the BKTC to submit its response; the next hearing is set for July 16.
Notably, the case is being examined simultaneously by the police, the SIT, the BKTC’s departmental inquiry committee and a high‑level committee led by the Garhwal Commissioner.