India, July 15 -- A committee investigating the alleged financial irregularities regarding offerings and donations at the Badrinath temple commenced its probe on Tuesday, a day after the arrest of a temple committee employee, sources said. The three-member committee, headed by Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop, inspected the temple premises, examined CCTV footage and held discussions with temple committee officials upon arrival in Badrinath, they said. On July 8, under the directives of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the committee was constituted to investigate alleged irregularities in donations and offerings received at the temple and make recommendations to improve temple management systems. Also Read - No backdoor talks with BJP; INDIA bloc to discuss delimitation after introduction of bill: Sule Apart from Swaroop, the committee includes Sandeep Tiwari, Managing Director of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), and Jagat Singh Chauhan, Director (Finance) of the Medical and Health Department, as members. Earlier, Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) employee Pramod Nautiyal had been arrested in the case concerning alleged irregularities in offerings and donations at the Badrinath temple. Before his suspension, Nautiyal was posted as a Personal Assistant in the office of the BKTC Chairman. Following the discovery of evidence regarding the alleged theft, the Chamoli police arrested him on Sunday night. The temple committee had constituted a four-member internal inquiry committee after allegations surfaced on social media on July 2. Nautiyal was suspended on July 7 after the committee's preliminary report substantiated the allegations prima facie. The temple committee lodged a complaint at the Badrinath police station, based on which an FIR was registered against Nautiyal under Section 306.
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