04 August,2026 11:40 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Siddhivinayak Temple. File Pic
The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust has sought an audit of the temple's donations following allegations by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray that Rs 18 crore had been stolen from the temple's donation collections.
According to the trust, the matter is already under police investigation, and action has been initiated against those accused in connection with the case. The trust also said donations received by the temple have increased over the past two years and maintained that an audit would help verify the financial records and address concerns surrounding the alleged irregularities.
The controversy intensified after Raj Thackeray, while addressing an MNS event on Saturday, referred to a purported letter sent by the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, claiming there had been irregularities in the handling of temple donations.
Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai on Sunday, a trustee said police had acted on the allegations and detained eight individuals in connection with the case. He added that all of them were later granted bail following the completion of police custody.
"So far, the temple employees who were detained by the police on the basis of allegations were first given police custody and then jail custody. Then the court granted them bail. Eight people were detained by the police and were given 3 days of police custody. After police custody, they received an NCR (Non-Cognizable Report), and after that, they were granted bail, including Naresh Khade," the trustee said.
The trustee said the investigation is continuing and that the temple trust is fully cooperating with the authorities.
The trust also confirmed that disciplinary action had been taken against several employees accused of accepting money from devotees in exchange for arranging VIP darshan.
"The money is counted every Wednesday and the same day deposited into the bank. In the last two years, the donations have increased. Some employees have been suspended. They took money from devotees to provide VIP darshan. People from across the world and celebrities come to Siddhivinayak Temple for darshan. There should be an audit on how the donations have increased," the trustee said.
The trust maintained that an audit would help establish transparency in the management of donations and verify the increase in contributions recorded over the past two years.
At the MNS event, Raj Thackeray questioned the safety of donations made by devotees and referred to the alleged theft while criticising the government's response to the issue.
"The trustees of the Siddhivinayak Temple have written a letter to Eknath Shinde informing him that a theft has occurred in the temple. There is suspicion that 18 crore rupees have been looted from the donation box. Students cannot trust the government, so if they go to a temple and theft is happening right there in that temple, then who should these children trust?" he said.
The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust has not independently confirmed the alleged amount mentioned by Thackeray but reiterated that the matter is under investigation and is being handled by law enforcement agencies.
The controversy has emerged at a time when the handling of donations at religious institutions has come under increased public and political scrutiny. The issue has gained further attention amid the ongoing debate over the alleged embezzlement of donations linked to the Ayodhya Ram Temple, a matter that has also been raised by opposition leaders in Parliament.
The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust said it remains committed to cooperating with the investigation and ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of devotees' contributions. Authorities are continuing their probe into the allegations.
(With inputs from ANI)
