Raj Thackeray Claims Donation Theft At Mumbai's Siddhivinayak, Trust Reacts

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has alleged that Rs 18 crore in donations was being stolen every year at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple, days after a similar controversy surrounded the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The temple trust has responded, saying the matter is already under investigation.

Speaking at an event held by his party's student wing, Thackeray said Rs 1,400 crore had reportedly gone missing from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and that Siddhivinayak was facing a similar issue.

"Even temples are not safe these days," Thackeray said, calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the matter.

He said frustrated young people turn to temples for comfort, but even temples are no longer free of corruption.

Reading from a letter he claimed was written by eight trustees to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray said some employees who had been stealing from the donation box were caught because trustees stayed alert. He claimed weekly collections were under Rs 50 lakh before the theft was discovered, and rose to Rs 1.5 crore afterwards.

"Every year, Rs 18 crore was being stolen," Thackeray alleged.

Trust Chairman Alleges Conspiracy To Defame Temple

At a press conference, Siddhivinayak Temple Trust chairman Sada Sarvankar questioned whether there was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the temple's reputation. He said he had personally raised the wrongdoing with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which then set up surveillance and laid traps to catch those responsible.

This led to the removal of trust officials seen acting suspiciously on CCTV, followed by the arrest of the main accused, Rajan Pendulkar, along with nine of his associates.

Sarvankar alleged that Pendulkar and the others arrested were directly linked to Sena (UBT) leader Vishakha Raut and other leaders from the same faction.

He confirmed that action had been taken against around 45 people in total in connection with the case, all of whom have since been suspended.

Referring to the letter Thackeray had read out publicly, Sarvankar clarified that Thackeray had not named him specifically. "Let me make it very clear, Raj Thackeray had not particularly mentioned my name," he said.

Sarvankar said the increase in donations was a direct result of steps taken by the current trust leadership.

Defending his decision to report the matter, Sarvankar asked, "Should I resign for taking this issue to the ACB and getting those employees arrested? Why should I or any of my team members resign?"

He added that trustees had written to the Law and Judiciary Department seeking a formal audit of the records.

Trustee Rahul Londhe said the Law and Judiciary Department had asked for a detailed report from the temple administration, which would then be presented to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers. He confirmed that an ACB inquiry was already underway and said the trust would also push for a CID investigation.

Londhe clarified that the trust itself had not written any letter to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and questioned whose letter Thackeray had actually read out at the event.

He also called for an investigation into Rs 10 crore allegedly given for the Shiv Bhojan scheme in 2019 by then trust president Adesh Bandhekar, at the request of then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, asking how those funds were used and distributed.

Siddhivinayak is counted among the wealthiest temples in the country, drawing a growing number of devotees each year. The Mumbai temple reportedly recorded a revenue of Rs 182 crore in the 2025-26 financial year.

The allegations have drawn reactions from across Maharashtra's political spectrum.

BJP leader Ram Kadam said that if Thackeray had solid evidence, he should hand it over to the police or government for investigation, adding that making such claims before the truth is established hurts the sentiments of the lakhs of devotees who visit the temple.

Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal said that if financial irregularities had genuinely occurred, a fair investigation should follow, noting that devotees give donations out of faith and any misuse of that money cannot be accepted.

NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar said the temple was a centre of faith for crores of devotees, and if trust members themselves were raising questions over how funds were handled, the government should treat the matter seriously and ensure a transparent probe, with action against anyone found responsible.

The Siddhivinayak row comes as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues its probe into the donation theft controversy at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Following directions from the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government has restructured the SIT, replacing the earlier bureaucrat-led panel with a four-member team headed by Inspector General of Police Kiran S, along with Ayodhya SSP Dr Gaurav Grover and DIG Somen Verma.

On July 27 2026, the Supreme Court directed that an independent chartered accountant with forensic auditing expertise be added to the SIT to trace the money trail.