Badrinath Dham Donation Row: Probe Finds Repeated Misappropriation, SIT Seeks 3-Year Bank Records

July 12, 2026

Chamoli: The departmental inquiry constituted to investigate the alleged misappropriation of devotees’ donations at Shri Badrinath Dham has completed its probe and submitted its report to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

According to the investigation, preliminary findings suggest that the alleged theft of devotees’ offerings and valuables did not occur on a single occasion but took place multiple times. Sources said the four-member inquiry committee has documented the entire sequence of events and its findings in an 18-page report.

Probe Recommends Stronger CCTV Surveillance

The inquiry report has recommended several measures to prevent such incidents in the future. It has suggested installing additional CCTV cameras in the temple’s donation counting room and covering all blind spots along the temple’s circumambulation path with surveillance cameras.

Sources said the inquiry team could retrieve CCTV footage covering only 14 days before the July 2 incident, as the previously installed cameras had a storage capacity of only 15 days due to their limited quality.

The footage from July 2 allegedly shows the accused misappropriating devotees’ donations. Investigators also found several video clips from the preceding two weeks that could be significant to the case.

Temple Committee Suspended Employee After Allegations Surfaced

The Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) had suspended Pramod Nautiyal, a Personal Assistant posted in the Chairman’s office, on July 7 following allegations of serious irregularities.

Earlier, on July 3, the committee had issued him a show-cause notice seeking an explanation and constituted a four-member panel to conduct an impartial investigation.

After examining the clarification submitted by the accused and the committee’s preliminary findings, the allegations were found to be prima facie true, following which disciplinary action was initiated.

SIT Records Five Witness Statements, Seeks Three Years’ Bank Records

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged donation irregularities has recorded the statements of five witnesses as part of its investigation.

The SIT has also asked the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) to submit bank account records for the past three years to examine financial transactions related to devotees’ donations. Investigators will scrutinise the records to verify fund movements and determine whether any financial irregularities extend beyond the current case.

Officials said the investigation is continuing, and further action will be taken based on the evidence collected.