Badrinath Temple Donation Theft Case: SIT Arrests Suspended BKTC Official Pramod Nautiyal in Uttarakhand

July 13, 2026

Dehradun: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged Badrinath Temple donation theft case has made its first arrest, with suspended Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) official Pramod Nautiyal being taken into custody from Dehradun, Uttarakhand Police said on Monday.

Nautiyal is scheduled to be produced before the Gopeshwar court for further legal proceedings. The SIT is expected to seek his police custody for further investigation.

Accused Arrested After Questioning in Dehradun

According to Uttarakhand Police, multiple teams were formed to trace Nautiyal, following which he was located in Dehradun.

A SIT team reached the spot and questioned him for around an hour before arresting him between 9:45 pm and 10:15 pm on July 12.

The investigation agency is now seeking custody of the accused to gather more details related to the alleged irregularities.

CCTV Footage Under Investigation

The case relates to alleged theft and irregularities involving donations received at the Badrinath Temple, one of the most revered religious shrines in India.

Police had earlier claimed that CCTV footage from the temple’s donation counting room showed Nautiyal allegedly “suspiciously hiding or stealing” cash, gold and silver coins, shaligram stones, and offering envelopes.

According to police, the footage showed the accused making repeated trips between the donation counting room and his office, raising suspicion that the items were allegedly being kept there.

The alleged incident came to light during the counting of devotees’ offerings on July 2, when irregularities were reportedly detected in the handling of donations.

Probe by SIT, Police and Committees Underway

An FIR was registered at Badrinath Police Station following a complaint by BKTC In-charge Temple Officer Yudhvir Pushpwan.

The SIT has recorded statements of several BKTC officials, including CCTV control officer Panwar and Harender Kothari, who was present during the donation counting process.

Meanwhile, Nautiyal has approached the Uttarakhand High Court challenging his suspension and the FIR filed against him. The court has directed the BKTC to submit its response, with the next hearing scheduled for July 16.

The matter is also being examined by the state police, SIT, BKTC’s departmental inquiry committee and a high-level committee headed by the Garhwal Commissioner.