08 August,2026 02:21 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into alleged irregularities in donations at the Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai, directing officials to examine the shrine's records for the last five years, an official said on Saturday.
The decision comes amid allegations of financial irregularities at the temple and the arrest of nine employees in connection with an alleged donation theft. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray had alleged that around Rs 18 crore was being siphoned off from the temple's donations every year.
According to officials, Fadnavis ordered the inquiry after a delegation from the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust met him and submitted details of the temple's collections for the period between 2023 and 2026.
The chief minister has directed officials to examine the temple's records for the past five years as part of the inquiry and has sought the report at the earliest, the officials said.
The inquiry is expected to cover the temple's donation records and related financial transactions to determine whether there were any irregularities in the handling or accounting of funds.
The directive follows growing scrutiny of the temple's financial management after allegations were raised about the handling of donations received from devotees.
The controversy gained attention after Raj Thackeray alleged that nearly Rs 18 crore was being siphoned off from the temple's donations annually.
The allegations triggered demands for an investigation into the temple's financial records and the manner in which donations were collected and accounted for.
The claims were followed by action against employees of the temple trust. Nine employees were arrested in connection with the alleged theft, according to Sada Sarvankar, chairman of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust and a leader of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
The allegations and arrests have since brought the temple's financial and administrative processes under greater scrutiny.
The latest directive from Fadnavis follows a separate demand by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for an independent inquiry into the alleged irregularities.
Last month, Shinde sought an independent investigation and directed officials to initiate the process following the allegations concerning the temple's donations.
The demand for an independent inquiry came as questions were raised over the alleged loss of funds and the systems in place to monitor donations at one of Mumbai's prominent religious institutions.
The Siddhivinayak Temple receives donations from a large number of devotees throughout the year, making its financial records a key part of the inquiry into the allegations.
Officials said the temple trust delegation that met Fadnavis provided the chief minister with a detailed account of collections made between 2023 and 2026.
The information submitted by the trust will form part of the material examined during the wider probe, officials said.
The chief minister's direction to examine five years of records is expected to provide investigators with a broader picture of the temple's finances rather than limiting the inquiry to the period in which the alleged irregularities came to light.
The inquiry will also help determine whether any discrepancies exist between the donations collected and the amounts recorded in the temple's accounts.
The allegations of financial wrongdoing have not yet been established through the inquiry, and the investigation is expected to determine whether there were discrepancies in the temple's donation records or financial procedures.
The arrest of nine employees is part of the action already taken in connection with the alleged theft, while the wider examination ordered by Fadnavis will focus on the temple's records over a longer period.
(With inputs from PTI)
