The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested Pramod Nautiyal from Dehradun in the Badrinath Temple donation theft case. CCTV footage allegedly showed the suspended BKTC employee stealing cash, gold, and other offerings from the counting room.
In a significant development in the investigation into the alleged Badrinath Temple donation theft case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday arrested Pramod Nautiyal, an alleged accused in the case, from Dehradun, Uttarakhand Police said on Monday.
The accused is scheduled to be produced before the Gopeshwar court today for further legal proceedings. According to the Uttarakhand Police multiple teams were formed to trace the accused who was located in Dehradun. Following this one team of SIT was mobilised at the spot and after one hour of questioning, he was arrested between 9.45 pm and 10 .15 pm yesterday (July 12) The SIT will seek his police custody, the Uttarakhand Police said.
Theft Allegations and CCTV Evidence
The case pertains to the theft and irregularities involving donations at the Badrinath Temple, one of the most revered shrines in the country. Following reports of the theft, the state authorities had constituted a Special Investigation Team to conduct a thorough probe and identify the culprits behind the crime.
Earlier, the Uttarakhand Police claimed that CCTV footage showed the suspended Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) employee Nautiyal, “suspiciously hiding or stealing” cash, gold and silver coins, shaligram stones and offering envelopes from the temple’s donation counting room.
According to Uttarakhand Police, the alleged accused was seen making repeated trips between the donation counting room and his office, leading investigators to suspect that the stolen items were being concealed there. “The accused Pramod Nautiyal is seen suspiciously hiding or stealing bundles of Rs 500 and Rs 100 notes, along with gold and silver 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,” Uttarakhand Police said.
Ongoing Investigation and Legal Battle
The investigation stems from alleged irregularities detected during the counting of cash offerings made by devotees at the Badrinath temple on July 2. A preliminary inquiry allegedly found that cash was removed from the counting area in violation of established procedures.
The FIR in the case was registered at Badrinath Police Station following a complaint by BKTC In-charge Temple Officer Yudhvir Pushpwan, whose statement was also recorded by the SIT. Statements of other BKTC officials, including CCTV control officer Panwar and Harender Kothari, who was present during the counting of donations, were also recorded as part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Nautiyal has moved the Uttarakhand High Court challenging his suspension and the FIR lodged against him. The matter was heard by Justice Alok Mehra, who directed the BKTC to file its response. The next hearing is scheduled for July 16.
The case is currently being investigated simultaneously by the state police, SIT, the BKTC’s departmental inquiry committee, and a high-level committee headed by the Garhwal Commissioner.
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