Uttarakhand Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested Pramod Nautiyal, the prime accused in the alleged theft of offerings at Badrinath Dham, from Dehradun and brought him to Chamoli for questioning. The case involves misappropriation of devotee donations, with authorities now tracing the money trail and examining potential accomplices.
Arrest and Initial Findings in Badrinath Dham Case
Nautiyal, who served as the shrine’s offering and donation officer, was detained at around 8 pm on Sunday and transported to Badrinath. An FIR was registered at Badrinath Police Station on July 8 following a complaint by Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee member Yudhvir Farswan. The probe began after irregularities surfaced on July 2, prompting Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to order a detailed investigation.
CCTV footage from the temple’s offering room allegedly showed Nautiyal stealing donations, leading to his arrest during a Sunday night raid in Dehradun. Police recovered a Shaligram stone and a laptop from his possession, though no cash was found. Nautiyal has denied the allegations.
Political Reactions and Next Steps
Congress state president Ganesh Godiyal, a former BKTC chief, questioned the probe’s impartiality, claiming Nautiyal was being pressured to withhold names of other involved individuals. BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt called the misappropriation a "grave sin" and reiterated that the government would not protect any guilty party.
The SIT will seek Nautiyal’s police remand to trace the misappropriated funds and determine if others were involved. He is to be produced before the District Court in Gopeshwar on Monday. The investigation remains ongoing.
