Parakamani theft at Tirumala Temple: CID begins probe into Rs 100 crore scam allegations

Tirupati: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday launched a probe into the Parakamani (coins and currency counting centre) theft case at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.

A CID team, led by Director General Ravi Shankar Ayyanar, began investigating the case, which dates back to 2023. The team visited Parakamani, the temple’s coin and currency counting centre, and seized records related to the case registered at the Tirumala One Town Police Station.

The probe was initiated a day after the Andhra Pradesh High Court criticised the police department and the state DGP for failing to implement its orders concerning a petition challenging the closure of the Parakamani theft case in the Lok Adalat.

The theft occurred in March 2023, when C Ravi Kumar, an employee of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), was caught stealing $920 from Parakamani. A petition filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court claimed that no proper investigation had been conducted. The TTD governing board had earlier closed the case following a settlement in the Lok Adalat, which the petitioner challenged.

Last month, the High Court directed the Inspector General of CID to seize all records related to the case, including Lok Adalat proceedings and any draft resolutions by the TTD board, and submit them in a sealed cover. The CID subsequently sought modification of the order to allow either a SP- or DG-rank officer to handle the seizure, citing the absence of an IGP-rank officer in the department.

During a hearing on October 13, Justice Gannamaneni Ramakrishna Prasad expressed strong displeasure, questioning why the CID waited until October 8 to file the modification petition when the order had been issued on September 16.

Last month, two TTD Trust Board members released CCTV footage related to the theft. BJP state spokesperson and TTD board member G Bhanuprakash Reddy, along with TTD ex officio member C Divakar Reddy, shared the video captured by surveillance cameras at Parakamani.

Ravi Kumar allegedly concealed currency notes in his undergarments and stole $11,300 on April 29, 2023. The FIR, however, reported only $900 recovered. TTD board members alleged that the accused had previously amassed properties worth around ₹100 crore through repeated thefts of foreign currency notes.

The case, originally registered at Tirumala Police Station, was later moved to the Lok Adalat. In September 2023, a compromise settlement was reached after Ravi Kumar agreed to donate seven properties valued at ₹40 crore, located in Tirupati and Chennai, to the TTD.

IANS