Pramod Nautiyal, a suspended staffer of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, was arrested in connection with alleged theft of donations from the Badrinath shrine.The Uttarakhand Police registered an FIR against him on July 7 under charges of theft by a clerk and aggravated criminal breach of trust.The temple committee had suspended Nautiyal and filed a complaint accusing him of misappropriating donation funds for personal gains.An inquiry panel found that temple funds were illegally removed from the donation counting centre between 9 am and 9.30 am on July 2.The suspended staffer, who worked under three former chairpersons, was directed not to leave the headquarters without approval.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami formed a three-member high-level committee to investigate the allegations, which must submit its report within 15 days.This follows recent allegations of embezzlement in the Ram temple in Ayodhya.The case highlights concerns about financial transparency in religious institutions and the need for accountability.