Badrinath Dham donation theft: SIT submits 18-page probe report to CEO
Synopsis
The SIT probing donation theft at one of India's holiest shrines has confirmed the misconduct was not a one-off — it happened repeatedly. An 18-page report now sits with the BKTC CEO, naming a suspended temple official and recommending sweeping CCTV upgrades at Badrinath Dham.
Key Takeaways
A four-member inquiry team submitted an 18-page report on the Badrinath Dham donation theft to the BKTC CEO on 12 July .
Preliminary findings reportedly confirm theft of devotee offerings occurred on multiple occasions , not just once.
CCTV footage from 2 July purportedly shows the alleged accused misappropriating money; footage from the preceding 14 days was also flagged.
Pramod Nautiyal , Personal Assistant in the BKTC Chairman's office, was suspended on 7 July after prima facie allegations were found correct.
The SIT has recommended additional CCTV cameras in the donation counting room and elimination of surveillance blind spots on the circumambulation path.
Prior cameras had a storage capacity of only 15 days due to inferior quality, limiting the footage retrievable by investigators.
A departmental inquiry team probing the alleged misappropriation of devotee offerings at Shri Badrinath Dham in Chamoli has completed its investigation and submitted an 18-page report to the Chief Executive Officer of the temple committee. The findings, reported on 12 July, reportedly confirm that the theft of donations and valuables occurred not on a single occasion but on multiple occasions.
Key Findings of the Probe
According to sources familiar with the inquiry, the four-member team has documented the full sequence of events and its findings in detail. CCTV footage from 2 July purportedly shows the alleged accused misappropriating money from the donation counting room. The team also flagged several segments from the preceding 14 days of footage as significant to the investigation.
Notably, the inquiry team could only retrieve footage going back 14 days prior to the incident, as the previously installed cameras had limited storage capacity — reportedly just 15 days — owing to their inferior quality.
Recommendations to Prevent Future Incidents
Beyond documenting the alleged wrongdoing, the SIT report has put forward specific preventive measures. The committee has recommended installing additional CCTV cameras inside the temple's donation counting room and eliminating all 'blind spots' along the temple's circumambulation path through expanded surveillance coverage.
Action Taken by the Temple Committee
The Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) moved swiftly even before the probe concluded. On 7 July, the BKTC suspended Pramod Nautiyal, a Personal Assistant posted in the Chairman's office, with immediate effect. A show-cause notice had been issued to him on 3 July seeking an explanation after prima facie allegations of serious irregularities in the discharge of official duties surfaced against him.
The BKTC had constituted the four-member inquiry panel to ensure a fair and thorough investigation. After examining the clarifications received and reviewing the committee's preliminary findings, the allegations against Nautiyal were found to be prima facie correct, according to the committee's order.
What Happens Next
With the report now in the hands of the CEO, the BKTC is expected to determine the next course of disciplinary and administrative action. The recommendations on surveillance infrastructure are also likely to be taken up for implementation ahead of the ongoing pilgrimage season, when footfall at the shrine remains at its peak.
Point of View
Not just an individual lapse. If a shrine of this stature — drawing millions of pilgrims annually — had CCTV cameras with only 15-day storage and uncovered blind spots, the question is not merely who stole but who allowed the conditions for theft to persist. The BKTC's swift suspension of Pramod Nautiyal signals administrative intent, but the deeper accountability — who approved substandard surveillance infrastructure and for how long — remains unaddressed in public disclosures. With the pilgrimage season at its peak, the committee's next steps on the SIT recommendations will be watched closely by both devotees and state authorities.
NationPress
12 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the SIT find in the Badrinath Dham donation theft probe?
The four-member inquiry team reportedly found that theft of devotee offerings and valuables at Shri Badrinath Dham occurred on multiple occasions, not just once. The findings are detailed in an 18-page report submitted to the BKTC CEO on 12 July.
Who has been suspended in connection with the Badrinath donation case?
Pramod Nautiyal, a Personal Assistant posted in the BKTC Chairman's office, was suspended with immediate effect on 7 July after prima facie allegations of serious irregularities were found to be correct. A show-cause notice had been issued to him on 3 July.
What does the SIT report recommend to prevent future theft at Badrinath?
The report recommends installing additional CCTV cameras inside the donation counting room and covering all surveillance blind spots along the temple's circumambulation path. The existing cameras had limited storage of only 15 days due to their inferior quality.
How far back could investigators retrieve CCTV footage?
The inquiry team could only retrieve footage dating back 14 days prior to the incident on 2 July, as the previously installed cameras had a storage capacity of just 15 days owing to their inferior quality.
What is the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC)?
The BKTC is the statutory body responsible for managing the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples in Uttarakhand. It oversees administration, discipline, and financial management of both shrines, and constituted the four-member panel that conducted this inquiry.
