Badrinath (Gurpreet Singh): The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has constituted a high-level, four-member panel to investigate escalating allegations of corruption regarding the handling of pilgrims’ offerings and financial donations at Badrinath Dham. The temple administration took formal cognisance of the matter after specific accusations went viral across multiple social media platforms. BKTC Chief Executive Officer Sohan Singh Rangad announced on Sunday that chairman Hemant Dwivedi ordered the immediate formation of the inquiry panel to ensure a completely impartial investigation, directing the team to submit a comprehensive evidentiary report within seven days.
The investigative panel is mandated to conduct a thorough, ground-level probe by cross-referencing available digital evidence, reviewing internal logs, and recording statements from all employees and individuals linked to the incident. CEO Rangad noted that the temple administration had initially reviewed CCTV footage from the premises on July 2 after the digital reports surfaced, but the available recordings lacked absolute visual clarity. Given the extreme sensitivity of the situation, explanations were immediately demanded from the staff members involved, and the administration has vowed to take strict legal and departmental action under the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee Act, 1939, against anyone found guilty in the final report.
The unfolding controversy has rapidly triggered a major political confrontation in Uttarakhand, closely following recent parallel allegations concerning offering management at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. State Congress president Ganesh Godiyal launched a sharp attack against the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led Uttarakhand government, characterizing the Badrinath Dham allegations as deeply serious and damaging to the sentiments of millions of Sanatan faith followers. Godiyal, alongside numerous opposition party workers, recently staged a silent protest at the Bagnath Temple complex in Bageshwar to demand absolute accountability. In response to the growing political pressure, BKTC chairman Hemant Dwivedi issued a public clarification denying social media claims that a key accused employee served as his personal private secretary, confirming instead that the individual is a regular government staff member subject to full disciplinary protocols. Management has appealed to the public to refrain from spreading unverified information while the official inquiry is underway.
