Eknath Shinde Orders Audit Of Siddhivinayak Donations After Raj Thackeray Theft Charge

Siddhivinayak, which is counted among the wealthiest temples in India, has been surrounded by a controversy related to alleged donation theft

05 Aug 2026, 05:16 · NDTV

Show
Quick Read
Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde ordered a 5-year audit of Siddhivinayak temple donations and valuables
MNS chief Raj Thackeray alleged Rs 18 crore theft annually from Siddhivinayak temple donations
Temple Trust chairman Sada Sarvankar reported theft to Anti-Corruption Bureau, leading to arrests

When will the findings of the special audit be released?
Mumbai:

Days after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray alleged donation theft at the famous Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has ordered a special audit of the cash donations, jewellery and other valuables received at the temple over the last five years.

Additional Chief Secretary Asim Gupta has been deputed to conduct the audit and prepare a detailed report.

Siddhivinayak, which is counted among the wealthiest temples in the country, has been surrounded by a controversy related to alleged donation theft over the last few days.

Government sources have told NDTV that strict action will be taken if any irregularities are found in the special audit.

Siddhivinayak Temple Trust Chairman Sada Sarvankar had met Shinde on Tuesday to discuss this issue.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray had last week alleged that Rs 18 crore in donations was being stolen every year at Siddhivinayak Temple.

Speaking at an event held by his party's student wing, Thackeray said Rs 1,400 crore had reportedly gone missing from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and that Siddhivinayak was facing a similar issue.

Reading from a letter he claimed was written by eight trustees to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray said some employees who had been stealing from the donation box were caught because trustees stayed alert. He claimed weekly collections were under Rs 50 lakh before the theft was discovered, and rose to Rs 1.5 crore afterwards.

"Every year, Rs 18 crore was being stolen," Thackeray alleged.

Replying to the charges, Temple Trust chairman Sada Sarvankar questioned whether there was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the temple's reputation. He said he had personally raised the wrongdoing with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which then set up surveillance and laid traps to catch those responsible.

This led to the removal of trust officials seen acting suspiciously on CCTV, followed by the arrest of the main accused, Rajan Pendulkar, along with nine of his associates.

Sarvankar alleged that Pendulkar and the others arrested were directly linked to Sena (UBT) leader Vishakha Raut and other leaders from the same faction.

He confirmed that action had been taken against around 45 people in total in connection with the case, all of whom have since been suspended.

The temple reportedly recorded a revenue of Rs 182 crore in the 2025-26 financial year.

The Siddhivinayak row comes as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues its probe into the donation theft controversy at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

(With Inputs from Vishal Patil)

Got a follow‑up question on this article? Go on

How may i help you today

Show full article

Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world