A jaw-dropping scam involving the siphoning off of over ₹100 crore in donations from Tirupati’s famed Balaji Temple by a lowly clerk, Ravi Kumar, has stunned devotees and officials alike. According to a TOI report, over more than 20 years, Kumar allegedly stole cash donations from 13 hundis at the temple’s Parakamani counting hall, amassing wealth through real estate investments.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has suspended a prior Lok Adalat settlement and ordered the Crime Investigation Department (CID) to conduct an in-depth probe into the theft and related cover-ups. Temple authorities and devotees demand strict accountability and transparent reforms to prevent future breaches of faith.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has reopened the Tirupati temple scam case by suspending the earlier Lok Adalat settlement and ordering the Crime Investigation Department (CID) to seize all records related to the case and conduct a fresh, thorough probe into the alleged ₹100 crore donation theft and linked irregularities.
The court’s directive aims to uncover the full extent of the scam and any possible involvement of high-ranking officials and political figures, with the next hearing scheduled for October 13, 2025.
Decades of Deceit in the Temple’s Counting Room
Ravi Kumar joined the Tirumala Pedda Jeeyanagar Mutt in the early 1990s and worked as a clerk overseeing the counting of donations, a task worth crores each day. His job gave him access to the Parakamani, the temple’s money-counting hall. In April 2023, suspicions arose when CCTV footage captured Kumar behaving strangely near donation chests. A subsequent strip search found him hiding cash and foreign currency notes, sparking immediate investigations.
Over two decades, he is believed to have diverted small sums regularly from 13 hundis, skilfully covering his tracks by manipulating records. The amassed fortune was invested in properties and gold, with Kumar even donating some assets back to the temple in an apparent attempt to mask his theft under the guise of devotion. This prolonged fraud was possible due to weak oversight systems, allowing hundreds of crores in donations to be misappropriated without detection.
Political and Administrative Fallout
The scam has deepened political controversy, with opposition parties alleging protection and complicity by former officials in the YSR Congress Party administration. Prominent figures, including former TTD chairman B Karunakar Reddy and Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy, face accusations of allowing the scam to continue and benefiting from illicit gains. A Lok Adalat settlement in September 2023, which closed the case after Kumar donated some properties, has now been suspended by the High Court after a citizen’s petition challenged its validity.
The High Court has entrusted the CID with a comprehensive investigation to uncover the full scale of the theft and identify any co-conspirators. Top temple board members have released CCTV footage of the theft to the public, underscoring the need for transparency. The government is implementing zero-tolerance policies on corruption in temple administration while considering digitalisation of donation counting and audits to restore public confidence.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The alleged theft at one of India’s most revered temples is not just a criminal case; it is a profound betrayal of faith and trust placed by millions of devotees. The Logical Indian believes this scandal underlines the urgent need to modernise and strengthen institutional oversight mechanisms in places of worship.
Transparency, accountability, and independent audits are crucial not only to prevent financial misconduct but also to nurture the sacred bond between devotees and their faith institutions.
