SIT raid yields foreign cash, other assets
Dehradun, July 19 -- The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of donations from the counting room at the Badrinath on Friday recovered foreign currency, saffron, and other assets during a raid at the residence of the retired Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) official whose arrest marked the second in the probe, police said.
"We recovered foreign currency, saffron and other materials like ghee from the room allotted to the accused as temple officer at the Badrinath Dham," said Badrinath SHO Mahadev Uniyal.
The accused, Rajendra Chauhan, was produced before a sessions court in Chamoli on Saturday, which sent him to 14-day judicial custody. Police said he was caught on CCTV stealing cash on three occasions before his retirement on June 30.
Police said the SIT has also identified more suspects after examining CCTV footage recorded on June 25 and June 29.
The SIT also questioned BKC chief executive officer (CEO) Sohan Singh Rangad and his personal assistant, Atul Dimri, to probe gaps in oversight.
Investigators have also embedded themselves in the temple's CCTV control room.
Earlier, suspended personal assistant to the chairman's office Pramod Nautiyal was arrested in Dehradun.
Police have said they have so far not recovered any stolen cash or assets, except for a Shaligram stone, from Nautiyal.
The alleged donation theft is being investigated on multiple fronts....
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