SIT has arrested Pramod Nautiyal, the main accused of donation theft in Badrinath Dham. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said that such a crime is unforgivable and strict action will be taken against the culprits. SIT will seek police custody of the accused to investigate the money trail.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday asserted that “a crime committed at such a place is unpardonable” following the arrest of key accused Pramod Nautiyal by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of donations at Badrinath Dham. The SIT had earlier said it would seek his police custody to investigate the money trail and possible links in the case.
Speaking to reporters here, Dhami said that strict action will be taken against the culprits. The Chief Minister said, “Strict action will be taken in this case as these are centers of Sanatan and faith. The law will take its course. A crime committed at such a place is unpardonable.”
Main accused arrested from Dehradun
The SIT has arrested suspended Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) employee Pramod Nautiyal, the main accused in the alleged embezzlement of temple donations. He was arrested from his residence in Dehradun and taken to Badrinath, where he is to be produced in court.
SIT investigating officer Mahadev Uniyal said that important evidence has been found in the investigation and the investigating agency will seek further custody of the accused. “He has been arrested. We have recovered some evidence from him. We will present him in court,” Uniyal told ANI.
The accused denied the allegations
Earlier, Uttarakhand Police had said that the SIT had recovered a Shaligram stone and a laptop issued by BKTC from Nautiyal during the investigation. However, no cash has been recovered from him yet. According to the police, Nautiyal has denied all the allegations during interrogation and has rejected the technical evidence and CCTV footage being examined by the investigators.
The SIT said it would seek his police custody to investigate the money trail and identify whether other people were also involved in the alleged theft.
This was revealed through CCTV footage
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the management of offerings by devotees at the Badrinath temple on July 2. According to Uttarakhand Police, CCTV footage allegedly showed Nautiyal moving back and forth between the donation counting room and his office, while he was allegedly hiding bundles of cash, gold and silver coins, Shaligram stones and envelopes containing offerings.
This FIR was registered at Badrinath police station following the complaint of BKTC in-charge temple officer Yudhveer Pushpwan. The case is being investigated simultaneously by the SIT, Uttarakhand Police, the departmental inquiry committee of BKTC and a high-level committee headed by the Garhwal Commissioner.
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