The Badrinath Temple administration has ordered an internal inquiry after allegations surfaced on social media claiming that donations and offerings made by devotees at the shrine were misappropriated by a temple employee.
The controversy erupted after Kaal Bhairav Sena president Sanjeev Khatri alleged that an employee associated with the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee had tampered with devotees’ offerings. He claimed the alleged incident took place between 8 am and 8.30 am and demanded that CCTV footage from the temple premises be made public. The allegations have since gone viral on social media.
Responding to the claims, BKTC Chairman Hemant Dwivedi said an internal inquiry committee is being constituted to investigate the matter. He said strict action would be taken against any employee found guilty after the probe.
Dwivedi also rejected claims circulating online that the accused was serving as his personal secretary. He clarified that the individual is a regular employee of the temple committee and has previously worked as a personal assistant to three former BKTC chairpersons.
Meanwhile, BKTC Chief Executive Officer Sohan Singh Rangad said CCTV footage from the temple premises had been examined following the allegations. However, he said the available footage did not provide sufficient clarity to verify the claims.
According to the CEO, the committee has sought explanations from the employees concerned, and the internal inquiry panel will examine all available evidence, CCTV footage, relevant documents and statements before submitting its report.
The temple committee has appealed to the public not to spread unverified or misleading information until the investigation is completed. It said the matter concerns the faith of millions of devotees associated with the world-renowned Badrinath shrine, and no conclusions should be drawn before the facts are established.
