Badrinath Dham temple committee orders probe into donation theft allegations

3 min readLucknowUpdated: Jul 4, 2026 01:28 AM IST

Sources said that five CCTV cameras are installed inside the room where the donation money is counted by the BKTC employees.

The Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) on Friday ordered an inquiry into allegations circulating on social media about the “misappropriation” of offerings and donations at Shri Badrinath Dham.

A BKTC official said Dehradun-based outfit Bhairav Sena had alleged that an employee at Shri Badrinath Dham was embezzling donation money and offerings. “While no evidence was provided by the outfit, BKTC has ordered an inquiry into the matter,” said the official.  The BKTC has also sought responses from the employees looking after the donation counting, he said.

Speaking to The Indian Express, BKTC Chairman Hemant Dwivedi said, “BKTC has taken the allegations very seriously. Since it is a very sensitive matter associated with the sentiments and faith of crores of people, an order has been issued to constitute a committee to probe the allegations.”

The Chairman also said that the inquiry report will be made public and strict action will be taken against the wrongdoer, if any.

A BKTC official said that allegations were made on social media that the “personal assistant” of the BKTC Chairman was involved in the alleged embezzlement. Dwivedi, however, said, “I have no personal secretary. That person is a regular employee of BKTC and has worked as personal secretary with three chairmen in the past. If allegations made against him on social media are found to be true in the inquiry, action will be taken against him.”

BKTC Chief Executive Officer Sohan Singh Rangar, in a statement, said that the footage of the CCTV cameras installed on the Badrinath shrine premises was checked on Friday, but there was nothing conclusive in the videos.

“If any adverse fact or anomaly is found in the probe, legal and departmental action will be taken against the guilty as per the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee Act-1939 and employee conduct rules,” the CEO said in the statement.

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Sources said that five CCTV cameras are installed inside the room where the donation money is counted by the BKTC employees.

Lalmani is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, and is based in New Delhi. He covers politics of the Hindi Heartland, tracking BJP, Samajwadi Party, BSP, RLD and other parties based in UP, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Covered the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, 2019 and 2024; Assembly polls of 2012, 2017 and 2022 in UP along with government affairs in UP and Uttarakhand. ... Read More

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