Days after the arrest of Pramod Nautiyal, another Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) employee, Rajendra Chauhan, has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with the Badrinath Temple donation theft case. According to the police, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered at the Badrinath police station following allegations that Chauhan stuffed bundles of Rs 500 notes, donated items, and jewelry into his pockets during the cash-counting process.
Why Was BKTC Employee Rajendra Chauhan Arrested?
Chauhan, a permanent employee of the BKTC who was serving as the temple officer and in-charge of the offering-counting process, allegedly conspired with Pramod Nautiyal, who was arrested earlier in the theft case.
According to reports, CCTV footage reviewed by SIT officials allegedly shows Chauhan collecting cash bundles and pocketing them on June 22, June 25, and June 29. Based on this electronic evidence and other corroborating materials, Chauhan was arrested by the SIT under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). On July 17, Chauhan was brought to the Badrinath police station for questioning and was subsequently placed under arrest.
What is Badrinath Temple Theft Case?
The Badrinath Temple donation theft case came to light following allegations that valuable items, including cash and gold ornaments donated by devotees, were being stolen. Local organizations accused temple officials of misplacing cash and pocketing gold and other valuables during the daily counting process.
Following these complaints, the Uttarakhand Police launched an investigation, thoroughly examining CCTV footage, questioning temple staff, and collecting forensic evidence to identify the culprits. The case has attracted widespread public attention, drawing parallels to recent scrutiny over alleged thefts of cash and gold at other major shrines, like the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh.
So far, two arrests have been made in the Badrinath case. Earlier, Nautiyal was arrested after CCTV footage caught him removing ₹500 currency notes, packets containing gold and silver coins, a Shaligram stone, and a packet of saffron from the counting room, illegally taking them into his possession. The BKTC had already suspended Nautiyal and served him a show-cause notice on July 3.
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Shamshad Ali is a New Delhi–based journalist with over six years of experience spanning breaking news writing, on-the-ground reporting, and editing. When he isn’t chasing headlines, Shamshad is usually exploring new destinations, discovering hidden culinary gems, and striking up conversations with strangers. Many of whom turn out to be great sources, and even better friends. He can be reached at shamshadali.dar@gmail.com.
