0 months ago
Siddhivinayak Trust Flags Uddhav-Era Appointments, Seeks Donation Probe
A famous temple in Mumbai, called Siddhivinayak, gets money from people who come to pray and donate.
Some people thought that temple workers were stealing that money.
The people who run the temple compared how much money was collected year by year.
They saw that donations went up a lot after a new team took charge.
That made them think money was being taken out of the donation boxes before it was counted.
Nine temple workers have now been arrested for allegedly stealing donations.
The temple leaders say some of those workers were hired during a government led by Uddhav Thackeray.
A politician named Raj Thackeray says almost 18 crore rupees were being stolen every single year.
He noticed that weekly donations jumped from less than 50 lakh rupees to about 1.5 crore rupees after the workers were caught.
The temple leaders say they should not resign because they reported the problem, and the government has now ordered an investigation.
The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust alleged that staffers appointed during the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) government were involved in the alleged donation theft.
Annual donation-box collections rose from Rs 106 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 182 crore in 2025-26, up nearly 35% since the current board took charge, the trust said.
Nine employees have been arrested and several others suspended, accused of exploiting loopholes and removing cash from donation boxes before it was counted and deposited.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray alleged nearly Rs 18 crore was siphoned off every year, citing weekly collections that rose from below Rs 50 lakh to around Rs 1.5 crore after the arrests.
Trustees refused to resign, calling themselves whistleblowers, while the Maharashtra Deputy CM ordered a probe and the Law and Judiciary Department sought a report.
- Who
- Siddhivinayak Temple Trust chairman Sada Sarvankar and the trustees, nine arrested temple employees, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, and the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, who ordered a probe.
- What
- An alleged donation theft and 'skimming' racket at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple, with the trust seeking an investigation into why earlier collections were lower.
- Where
- Shree Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
- When
- Early August 2026, after nine employees were arrested; the trust also compared donation figures from 2022-23 to 2025-26.
- Why
- The trust alleges staff exploited loopholes in the donation collection system and removed cash before it was counted, and it wants the extent of the alleged financial irregularities established.
Siddhivinayak Temple Trust / Current Board
Critics and MNS Chief Raj Thackeray
Should trustees resign?
Siddhivinayak Temple Trust / Current Board
Trustees rejected resignation demands, saying they exposed the alleged irregularities and acted as whistleblowers - 'Why should we resign? For exposing the case?'
Critics and MNS Chief Raj Thackeray
Critics demanded that the trustees take responsibility and step down over the donation controversy.
How much money was stolen?
Siddhivinayak Temple Trust / Current Board
The trust reported weekly collections now near Rs 98 lakh and a steady rise in annual donations from Rs 106 crore to Rs 182 crore after loopholes were fixed.
Critics and MNS Chief Raj Thackeray
Raj Thackeray alleged nearly Rs 18 crore was siphoned off every year, pointing to weekly collections jumping from below Rs 50 lakh to around Rs 1.5 crore after arrests.
Key facts
- Subject
- Alleged theft of donations at Shree Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai
- Annual donations 2022-23
- Rs 106 crore
- Annual donations 2025-26
- Rs 182 crore
- Reported rise under current board
- Nearly 35% (per trust chairman Sada Sarvankar)
- Employees arrested
- Nine (police initially arrested eight; Naresh Khade later sought anticipatory bail)
- Raj Thackeray's alleged annual loss
- Nearly Rs 18 crore
- Weekly collections after arrests
- Around Rs 1.5 crore (Raj Thackeray); nearly Rs 98 lakh (per trust official Londhe)
- Official action
- Probe ordered by Maharashtra Deputy CM; Law and Judiciary Department sought a report
Quotes
Sada Sarvankar
Chairman of Siddhivinayak Temple Trust
“The collections were ₹106 crore in 2022–23, ₹114 crore in 2023–24, ₹135 crore in 2024–25, and ₹182 crore in 2025–26. This means that since we took charge, the amount collected in the donation boxes has increased by nearly 35%”
news18.com
“Before these workers were apprehended, the weekly donation count every Wednesday was less than Rs 50 lakh. However, over the past three weeks since their arrest, the weekly collection has surged to around Rs 1.5 crore.”
news18.com
