Dehradun | Updated: July 13, 2026
Uttarakhand Police have arrested suspended Badrinath temple committee employee Pramod Nautiyal in connection with alleged irregularities in the handling of donations at the shrine.
Police said Nautiyal was arrested from his residence on Sunday night by Chamoli Police.
He was later taken to Badrinath, where he is currently being questioned.
Chamoli Senior Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Panwar said Nautiyal is a suspended employee of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee.
According to police, a case was registered on July 8 at Badrinath police station on the basis of a complaint filed by temple committee official Yudhvir Farswan.
The complaint accused Nautiyal of embezzling temple offerings.
The SSP said preliminary investigation and CCTV footage showed that Nautiyal allegedly took away some items and cash.
Police said he was arrested on the basis of this evidence.
An FIR was lodged against Nautiyal late Tuesday night.
He had earlier served as Personal Assistant to the BKTC chairman.
A four-member inquiry committee of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee had found the allegations of irregularities in donation management against Nautiyal to be prima facie true.
The BKTC is a statutory body that manages the Badrinath temple and other shrines in Uttarakhand.
Nautiyal’s arrest has triggered a political war of words between the ruling BJP and the Congress.
Congress state president and former BKTC president Ganesh Godiyal questioned the investigation.
He alleged that the arrested employee was being pressured not to name any other individuals.
Godiyal said the investigation could not be trusted unless action was taken against the BKTC president and he was removed from his post.
BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt said the alleged embezzlement of offerings at Badrinath temple was a grave sin.
He said the government would not protect anyone and strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
Bhatt said Nautiyal’s arrest showed that the government was taking impartial action.
He also demanded legal action against any other culprit identified during the investigation.
The Uttarakhand Government had formed a three-member probe committee last week to investigate the allegations.
The committee is headed by the Garhwal division commissioner and will submit its findings and recommendations to the state government.
The issue came to light after allegations of irregularities during the counting of donations at Badrinath temple surfaced on social media.
An organisation named Bhairav Sena later filed a complaint demanding an inquiry and registration of an FIR in the matter.
