BKTC Suspends Employee as Probe Begins into Badrinath Temple Donation Irregularities

The alleged irregularities in the handling of donations at Badrinath Dham have escalated into a criminal investigation, with police registering an FIR against a suspended employee of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) even as the Uttarakhand government ordered a parallel inquiry into the matter.

The FIR was lodged at Badrinath Police Station against Pramod Nautiyal , who served as the private secretary to the BKTC chairman, under Sections 306 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master) and 316(5) (criminal breach of trust) . The action came hours after the statutory temple body suspended him following a preliminary inquiry that found prima facie irregularities in the management of temple donations.

BKTC Chairman Hemant Dwivedi said the committee maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and that any employee found guilty would face strict departmental and legal action. A four-member panel of senior BKTC officials has been examining the allegations using CCTV footage, employee statements, and other relevant records . Responding to questions over the replacement of CCTV cameras, the BKTC clarified that the replacement was part of a routine process and that all footage from the old DVRs has been preserved for the investigation.

The Uttarakhand government has also constituted a three-member inquiry committee , headed by the Garhwal Division Commissioner , to independently investigate the allegations. The panel has been asked to submit its findings and recommendations to the state government within 15 days .

The controversy surfaced after allegations of irregularities during the counting of devotees' offerings at the Badrinath temple circulated on social media. Following the claims, Bhairav Sena lodged a complaint demanding an inquiry and the registration of an FIR, prompting both the internal BKTC probe and the police investigation.

The BKTC, a statutory body responsible for managing the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples , 44 other shrines , and several schools and dharamshalas across Uttarakhand, oversees the administration of temple finances and religious institutions. The latest developments have intensified calls for greater transparency, stronger oversight, and accountability in the management of donations at major pilgrimage centres, with the Opposition also demanding an impartial probe into the matter.