After Court Order, Probe Begins Into Tirupati Cash Embezzlement Case

The chief of Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department, Dr Ravi Shankar Ayyanar, arrived in Tirumala today to probe the sensational Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams theft case, following orders from the High Court.

A special CID team, led personally by the CID Director General, reached Tirumala today to begin seizing crucial records related to the 2023 scandal that involved misappropriation of currency from the temple's counting centre.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court -- which had suspended the controversial settlement of the case reached via a Lok Adalat or people's court last year -- spurred on the investigation.

The court expressed strong displeasure about the police and TTD's handling of the matter and ordered the CID to take immediate charge of securing all related documents.

DGP Ravi Shankar Ayyanar confirmed the scope of the operation upon arriving in Tirumala. 

"The CID team, under my leadership, has reached the Tirumala One Town Police Station. In connection with the Parakamani case, the CID is seizing records under the directions of the High Court," he told reporters.

Detailing the extensive nature of the evidence seizure, he said. "We will seize all related documents, including TTD board resolutions from that period, the Lok Adalat settlement proceedings, police station records, and CDs. We will review all developments from the beginning till now, gather all evidence, and submit it to the court".

The CID team's first point of action was examining records at the Tirumala One Town Police Station, where the original First Information Report was registered.

The Parakamani, the sacred hall where pilgrims' offerings, including foreign currency and cash, are counted, became the centre of controversy in early 2023 when a staff member was caught on camera, allegedly stealing currency. 

While the immediate theft amount registered in the FIR was relatively small, subsequent allegations by TTD board members and political leaders suggested the theft was part of a far larger, long-running scam, potentially involving crores of rupees.

The case gained political notoriety after it was swiftly moved to the Lok Adalat, where it was settled through a compromise. 

The accused and their family subsequently donated several properties valued in crores to the TTD. 

Critics allege this settlement, conducted during the tenure of the previous YSRCP government, was a deliberate attempt by TTD and the police to "wash their hands of the case" and protect influential individuals associated with the accused who may have benefited from the stolen temple wealth.

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