Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 13 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday asserted that “a crime being committed at such a place is not worth forgiving” after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of Badrinath Dham donations arrested prime accused Pramod Nautiyal.
The SIT earlier said it would seek his police custody to investigate the money trail and possible links in the case.
Speaking to reporters here, Dhami said strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
“Strict action will be taken in this matter as these are centres of Sanatan and devotion. The law will take its own course. A crime being committed at such a place is not worth forgiving,” the Chief Minister said.
The SIT has arrested the suspended Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) employee Pramod Nautiyal, who is the prime accused in the alleged misappropriation of temple donations. He was arrested at his residence in Dehradun and taken to Badrinath, where he is to be produced before the court.
SIT Investigation Officer Mahadev Uniyal said the probe has yielded important evidence and that the investigating agency would seek further custody of the accused.
“He has been arrested. We have recovered some evidence from him. We will produce him in court,” Uniyal told ANI.
Earlier, Uttarakhand Police said the SIT recovered a Shaligram stone and a laptop issued by the BKTC from Nautiyal during the investigation. However, no cash has been recovered from him so far.
According to the police, Nautiyal has denied all allegations during questioning and rejected the technical evidence and CCTV footage being examined by investigators. The SIT said it would seek his police custody to investigate the money trail and identify whether others were involved in the alleged theft.
The case relates to alleged irregularities in the handling of devotees’ offerings at the Badrinath Temple on July 2. According to Uttarakhand Police, CCTV footage allegedly shows Nautiyal repeatedly moving between the donation counting room and his office while allegedly concealing cash bundles, gold and silver coins, Shaligram stones and offering envelopes.
The FIR was registered at the Badrinath Police Station following a complaint by BKTC In-charge Temple Officer Yudhvir Pushpwan. The case is being investigated simultaneously by the SIT, Uttarakhand Police, the BKTC’s departmental inquiry committee and a high-level committee headed by the Garhwal Commissioner. (ANI)
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