No Escape for Guilty in Badrinath Temple Donation Theft, Vows BKTC CEO

Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee CEO Sohan Singh Rangad asserts that those found guilty in the donation theft investigation will face consequences. Pramod Nautiyal, an employee, remains in custody following his arrest. The BKTC is cooperating with authorities, emphasizing the importance of accountability and transparency in temple operations.

The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) is resolute in ensuring accountability after a donation theft scandal, as affirmed by CEO Sohan Singh Rangad. Speaking on Tuesday, Rangad confirmed that any individual found guilty through ongoing investigations will be held responsible, and no exceptions will be made.

The incident came to light following the arrest and judicial custody of Pramod Nautiyal, a temple employee, who was caught on camera allegedly pilfering offerings. A four-member internal investigative team has already examined previous counting procedures and has delivered its findings to the BKTC Chairman. Rangad mentioned that the report might soon reach governmental authorities.

The CEO addressed the limited CCTV surveillance data availability, attributing it to technical limitations rather than any intentional oversight. Despite 24/7 monitoring, blind trust in temple sanctity might have contributed to the theft going unnoticed until a formal complaint initiated an in-depth investigation.

Rangad emphasized BKTC's full cooperation with the Chamoli Police and Special Investigation Team (SIT), reassured that multiple agencies are now probing the case to prevent any escape routes for the perpetrators. Nautiyal, remanded for 14 days, awaits further inquiries amidst ongoing scrutiny of other employees implicated in the footage.