CID Launches Fresh Investigation into Tirupati Temple Embezzlement Case Following High Court Orders

Hyderabad:

Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department chief Dr. Ravi Shankar Ayyanar has arrived in Tirumala today to investigate the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams theft case, following High Court directives.

Dr. Ayyanar, personally leading a specialized CID team, reached Tirumala to begin collecting essential records connected to the 2023 currency misappropriation scandal at the temple's counting center.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had suspended the controversial Lok Adalat settlement reached last year, has pushed forward with the investigation.

The court expressed significant dissatisfaction regarding how the police and TTD had managed the case and ordered the CID to immediately secure all related documentation.

Upon arrival in Tirumala, DGP Ravi Shankar Ayyanar confirmed the investigation's scope.

"Under my leadership, the CID team has reached the Tirumala One Town Police Station. We are seizing records related to the Parakamani case as directed by the High Court," he informed reporters.

Explaining the comprehensive evidence collection process, he stated, "We will acquire all relevant documents, including TTD board resolutions from that period, Lok Adalat settlement proceedings, police station records, and CDs. We will examine all developments from beginning to present, gather all evidence, and submit it to the court."

The CID team initially focused on examining records at the Tirumala One Town Police Station, where the original First Information Report was filed.

The Parakamani, a sacred hall where devotees' offerings including cash and foreign currency are counted, became controversial in early 2023 when surveillance footage captured a staff member allegedly stealing currency.

While the initially registered theft amount in the FIR was relatively small, subsequent allegations from TTD board members and political figures suggested the theft was part of a much larger, long-running embezzlement scheme potentially involving crores of rupees.

The case gained political significance after being quickly transferred to the Lok Adalat, where it was resolved through compromise.

Following the settlement, the accused and their family donated multiple properties valued at crores to the TTD.

Critics claim this settlement, which occurred during the previous YSRCP government's tenure, represented a deliberate attempt by TTD and police to "wash their hands of the case" and protect influential individuals connected to the accused who may have profited from the stolen temple funds.

The High Court's intervention and the CID's investigation under the new administration indicate a complete reopening of this high-profile case, aimed at uncovering the alleged conspiracy and political protection behind the expedited Lok Adalat settlement.