Siddhivinayak donation row: Devendra Fadnavis orders probe into temple records of last five years

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into alleged irregularities in donations at the Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai directing officials to examine the shrines records for the last five years an official said on SaturdayThe decision comes amid allegations of financial irregularities at the temple and the arrest of nine employees in connection with an alleged donation theft Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray had alleged that around Rs 18 crore was being siphoned off from the temples donations every yearFadnavis seeks detailed examination of temple recordsAccording to officials Fadnavis ordered the inquiry after a delegation from the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust met him and submitted details of the temples collections for the period between 2023 and 2026The chief minister has directed officials to examine the temples records for the past five years as part of the inquiry and has sought the report at the earliest the officials saidThe inquiry is expected to cover the temples donation records and related financial transactions to determine whether there were any irregularities in the handling or accounting of fundsThe directive follows growing scrutiny of the temples financial management after allegations were raised about the handling of donations received from devoteesRow follows allegations of Rs 18 crore annual siphoningThe controversy gained attention after Raj Thackeray alleged that nearly Rs 18 crore was being siphoned off from the temples donations annuallyThe allegations triggered demands for an investigation into the temples financial records and the manner in which donations were collected and accounted forThe claims were followed by action against employees of the temple trust Nine employees were arrested in connection with the alleged theft according to Sada Sarvankar chairman of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust and a leader of the Shindeled Shiv SenaThe allegations and arrests have since brought the temples financial and administrative processes under greater scrutinyShinde had sought independent inquiryThe latest directive from Fadnavis follows a separate demand by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for an independent inquiry into the alleged irregularitiesLast month Shinde sought an independent investigation and directed officials to initiate the process following the allegations concerning the temples donationsThe demand for an independent inquiry came as questions were raised over the alleged loss of funds and the systems in place to monitor donations at one of Mumbais prominent religious institutionsThe Siddhivinayak Temple receives donations from a large number of devotees throughout the year making its financial records a key part of the inquiry into the allegationsTemple trust delegation meets chief ministerOfficials said the temple trust delegation that met Fadnavis provided the chief minister with a detailed account of collections made between 2023 and 2026The information submitted by the trust will form part of the material examined during the wider probe officials saidThe chief ministers direction to examine five years of records is expected to provide investigators with a broader picture of the temples finances rather than limiting the inquiry to the period in which the alleged irregularities came to lightThe inquiry will also help determine whether any discrepancies exist between the donations collected and the amounts recorded in the temples accountsProbe to determine scope of alleged irregularitiesThe allegations of financial wrongdoing have not yet been established through the inquiry and the investigation is expected to determine whether there were discrepancies in the temples donation records or financial proceduresThe arrest of nine employees is part of the action already taken in connection with the alleged theft while the wider examination ordered by Fadnavis will focus on the temples records over a longer periodWith inputs from PTI