Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Pramod Nautiyal, the private secretary of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), in connection with alleged irregularities involving devotees’ donations at the Badrinath Temple in Uttarakhand. The action follows a preliminary inquiry that reportedly indicated possible discrepancies during the donation counting process. Investigators are now examining CCTV footage, financial records and other documentary evidence to establish the facts surrounding the case.
The FIR was registered at Badrinath Police Station on the basis of a complaint submitted by the temple’s officer-in-charge. Following the registration of the case, police formally commenced their investigation and sought CCTV recordings from the day of the incident, donation counting records and other relevant documents from the temple committee. Officials said both digital and documentary evidence would be scrutinised as part of the inquiry.
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According to the preliminary findings, certain observations were made regarding Pramod Nautiyal’s activities at the donation counting centre until around 9:30 a.m. on July 2. Based on these findings, the temple committee had already placed him under suspension before the FIR was lodged. Police subsequently initiated a criminal investigation and assigned an investigating officer to examine the allegations in accordance with legal procedures.
The incident has also raised broader questions about the temple’s administrative framework and the allocation of responsibilities related to donation management. According to available information, Nautiyal was entrusted not only with the responsibilities of private secretary but also with protocol duties and oversight of the highly sensitive donation counting process. Ordinarily, donation counting is carried out under the supervision of authorised accounting personnel, the treasury section and other designated officials. Investigators are therefore also examining whether assigning multiple critical responsibilities to a single individual complied with established administrative practices.
The Uttarakhand government has constituted a three-member high-level committee to conduct an independent examination of the matter. The panel will review the temple’s donation management system, administrative procedures, internal controls and security arrangements to determine whether procedural lapses contributed to the alleged irregularities. The committee’s findings are expected to guide any further administrative or legal action.
CCTV footage is considered one of the most significant pieces of evidence in the investigation. Officials said recordings from cameras installed inside the donation counting room are being analysed in detail, as preliminary examination of the footage reportedly provided important leads. Investigators are also questioning bank personnel and other individuals associated with the donation counting process to reconstruct the sequence of events and verify financial transactions.
In the aftermath of the incident, the temple committee has initiated measures to strengthen security and oversight within the donation counting facility. High-resolution CCTV cameras have been installed in the counting room to improve surveillance and create a more robust digital record of future donation handling procedures. The enhanced monitoring system is intended to reduce the risk of irregularities and improve transparency in financial management.
Governance experts note that religious institutions handling substantial public donations require strong internal controls, including digital surveillance, clearly defined responsibilities, periodic audits and multi-layer verification mechanisms. Such safeguards help maintain financial transparency, preserve the integrity of donation management and facilitate evidence-based investigations whenever allegations of misconduct arise.
The police investigation, the temple committee’s internal review and the government-appointed high-level inquiry are currently progressing simultaneously. The allegations against Pramod Nautiyal remain subject to investigation and judicial scrutiny. Any determination of criminal liability will depend on the examination of CCTV footage, financial records, documentary evidence and witness statements before the competent authorities and the courts.
