The Uttarakhand Police have arrested Pramod Nautiyal, a suspended staff member of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), following allegations of widespread financial irregularities in handling temple donations.
Nautiyal, who previously served as the Personal Assistant to the BKTC chairman, was apprehended at his Dehradun residence on Sunday night by the Chamoli Police. He was subsequently transported to Badrinath for active questioning, according to Chamoli Senior Superintendent of Police, Surjit Singh Panwar.
The Investigation Timeline
-
Social Media Outcry: The controversy erupted after public allegations regarding mismatched donation counts at the Badrinath temple went viral online.
-
Official Complaint: The local organization ‘Bhairav Sena’ filed a formal complaint demanding a criminal investigation and an FIR.
-
Internal Probe: A four-member BKTC internal inquiry committee reviewed the case and found the financial mismanagement allegations to be prima facie true.
-
Police Action: An FIR was registered late Tuesday night, leading to Nautiyal’s arrest.
Government Response
Because the BKTC is a statutory body responsible for managing major shrines across Uttarakhand, the state government has stepped in with its own three-member high-level probe committee. Chaired by the Garhwal Division Commissioner, this state panel will independently investigate the mismanagement and submit structural recommendations directly to the government.
