DEHRADUN: In a significant development in the alleged theft of devotees’ offerings at the renowned Badrinath shrine, the Chamoli Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested suspended temple committee employee Pramod Nautiyal from his Dehradun residence late on Sunday.
Pramod Nautiyal was taken into custody by the Chamoli Police on Sunday night and brought to Badrinath, where he is being questioned.
Chamoli Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Panwar confirmed the arrest and said investigators were examining all aspects of the case. “Pramod Nautiyal was arrested from his residence in Dehradun late on Sunday and subsequently brought to Chamoli. He is being questioned in connection with various aspects of the case,” Panwar said.
The SIT is scrutinising documents, official records and other evidence collected during the investigation. Police officials said further action would be taken on the basis of the evidence that emerges.
“A fair and thorough investigation is underway. The accused will be produced before the court in accordance with the law,” the police superintendent added.
Nautiyal, an employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), had been suspended after allegations surfaced that offerings made by devotees at the Badrinath temple were being stolen.
His arrest came days before the Uttarakhand High Court was scheduled to hear his plea on July 16. Nautiyal had reportedly approached the court seeking protection from arrest and challenging both his suspension and the police case registered against him. The court had sought a response from the BKTC.
The case first came to light after Bhairav Sena founder Sandeep Khatri alleged that donations offered by pilgrims at the shrine were being misappropriated. The allegations triggered a political controversy in Uttarakhand and prompted demands for a transparent investigation.
Following the disclosure, BKTC chairman Hemant Dwivedi constituted a four-member committee to examine the allegations. As the controversy intensified, the state government also formed a three-member high-level panel to conduct a separate inquiry.
The temple committee subsequently suspended Nautiyal, while police registered a case over the alleged theft of offerings. Investigators are now looking into whether more individuals were involved. Sources indicated that further arrests could follow, depending on the findings of the SIT.
Badrinath, one of the four shrines on Uttarakhand’s Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, receives substantial offerings from lakhs of devotees every year.
