By Sanjay Goswami

Police have arrested two employees of the Baba Balak Nath Temple Trust for allegedly manipulating the counting of devotees’ monetary offerings (chadava) at the Siddhipith Deot Siddh Temple in Hamirpur district. The arrests came after a complaint by temple officials and a review of CCTV footage from the counting room.

The incident has shaken trust and confidence among devotees.

In the complaint filed by temple official Sandeep Chandel, irregularities emerged during the offerings count on September 29. Staff raised alarms at mismatches in totals. CCTV footage reportedly captured the accused inserting extra notes into cash bundles. Following an inquiry, Badser police arrested:

• Keshav Dutt (55), a junior assistant in counting operations, from Chakmoh village, Hamirpur district, and
• Gurchain Singh (51), an accountant from Apar Dehlan village, Una district.

Temple management accuses them of abusing their positions to siphon off funds. They remain in custody pending further legal proceedings.

District Superintendent of Police Thakur Bhagat Singh confirmed that arrests were made based on CCTV evidence and other preliminary findings. He said a full-scale investigation is under way, extending to accounting records, interviewing staff and witnesses, and forensic examination of cash bundles and recordings. The probe aims to assess whether others were involved and how long the scheme operated.

Head priest welcomes High Court ruling

Mahant Shri Shri Shri 1008 Rajendra Giri, head priest of the trust, welcomed the recent judgment by the Himachal Pradesh High Court that reinforced stricter oversight and accountability in temple administration. In a media address to IndoUS Tribune, he asserted that the ruling will help contain corruption in temples under government control. He lamented that lower-level employees often execute directives from higher officials, and urged that appointments below a certain rank be avoided to reduce misuse. He called for 90 percent of donation income to be spent for devotees’ welfare, as prescribed under the Temple Act, and stated that if speaking up for devotees’ rights is branded as opposition, he will continue to do so unfailingly, regardless of pressure.

The Mahant also criticized systemic neglect of the Temple Act, calling for reform in appointment patterns and stronger internal checks. He said, “If we do not speak for devotees’ interests, who will?”

Call for transparency and reform

This is not the first time the trust has faced financial scandal—past accusations include misappropriation in procurement, ration schemes, and asset management. Community leaders are demanding an independent audit, public disclosure of accounts, and stronger internal controls over collection and counting. Police have pledged full cooperation from the trust as they move forward with legal action and further investigations.