Pocketless clothes, strict frisking of staff members and more CCTV cameras in the donation counting room are three primary recommendations from an internal panel of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), set up to audit temple funds after an employee was allegedly found stealing currency notes and gold and silver coins.
The investigation into financial irregularities at the much-revered Badrinath temple centres on the handling of donations offered to the deity. The irregularities came to light during the counting of cash offerings made by devotees on July 2.
Police have since registered an FIR against suspended BKTC employee Pramod Nautiyal, who was serving as a personal assistant in the office of the BKTC chairman on Wednesday. The case was lodged at Badrinath police station under Sections 306 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of the master) and 316(5) (criminal breach of trust) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A senior BKTC official, requesting anonymity, said the panel has suggested that all personnel involved in counting donations wear clothes without pockets to minimise the possibility of concealment.
“The panel has also recommended that everyone present inside the counting room, including employees and volunteers, be frisked strictly before leaving the room,” the official said.
{{/usCountry}}“The panel has also recommended that everyone present inside the counting room, including employees and volunteers, be frisked strictly before leaving the room,” the official said.
{{/usCountry}}The panel has further proposed increasing the number of CCTV cameras inside the counting room. At present, the counting room is monitored by three CCTV cameras, while the Badrinath temple premises have 32 cameras, up from 16 after a recent surveillance upgrade, officials said.
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“If the recommendations are approved, we will increase the number of cameras in the counting room,” the official said, adding that it can only be done after multiple inquiries into the alleged theft are completed.
Another BKTC official said the committee recently upgraded its CCTV surveillance system by replacing a 4 GB DVR with a 32 TB storage system.
“Earlier, the limited storage capacity meant footage was overwritten within about two weeks, depending on crowd density and recording quality. The new system will allow us to retain footage for a much longer period. We have also improved both the quality and the number of CCTV cameras across the Badrinath temple premises,” the official said.
BKTC chief executive officer Sohan Singh Rangar said the departmental inquiry report has been submitted to the committee chairman for further action.
“There is currently no standard operating procedure (SOP) specifically for the counting room. Whatever decision is taken by the government will be implemented,” Rangar said.
Explaining the existing system, Rangar said all offerings are deposited into sealed donation boxes through narrow openings.
“When a donation box is full, three to four committee personnel carry out the counting. Devotees also voluntarily assist in the counting process, and their names and contact details are recorded. The counting room is under CCTV surveillance. We have never encountered such an incident before. Any gaps identified in the system will be addressed,” he said.
The BKTC on Monday also denied reports claiming that CCTV footage from the counting room had gone missing.
“No such fact has come to light during the departmental inquiry,” Rangar said.