Archive · 8 Aug 2026
Fadnavis orders probe into Siddhivinayak Temple donation irregularities
Inside a famous temple in Mumbai called Siddhivinayak Temple, people leave money as donations.
A leader named Raj Thackeray said that some people were stealing about 18 crore rupees of this money every year.
Because of this claim, nine people who work at the temple were arrested.
The leader of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, has now asked officials to check the temple's money records carefully.
They will look at records from the last five years to see what really happened.
Another leader, Eknath Shinde, also asked for an independent inquiry.
Raj Thackeray said the temple's weekly donations grew a lot after the arrests.
Similar money problems have been reported at other famous temples too, like Badrinath and the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Everyone wants to make sure the temple's donation money is used the right way.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a comprehensive probe into alleged donation irregularities at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple.
Officials will examine the shrine's records of the last five years, covering collections between 2023 and 2026.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray alleged that around Rs 18 crore was siphoned off annually from temple donations.
Nine temple employees were arrested in connection with the alleged theft, according to Siddhivinayak Temple Trust chairman Sada Sarvankar, who is a Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader.
Similar controversies over alleged donation thefts have emerged at other temples, including Badrinath and the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
- Who
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered the probe; Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, made the allegations; Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called for an independent inquiry; Siddhivinayak Temple Trust chairman Sada Sarvankar said nine employees were arrested.
- What
- A comprehensive probe into alleged donation irregularities at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple, where around Rs 18 crore was reportedly siphoned off annually and nine employees have been arrested.
- When
- The probe was ordered on Saturday; Raj Thackeray made his allegations on August 2, and the nine employees were arrested in March.
- Where
- Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- Why
- Raj Thackeray alleged that nearly Rs 18 crore was siphoned off annually from the temple's donations.
- Alleged amount siphoned annually
- Around Rs 18 crore
- Temple
- Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai
- Probe ordered by
- Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Chief Minister
- Allegations made by
- Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief
- Independent inquiry sought by
- Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde
- Employees arrested
- 9 (arrested in March)
- Probe scope
- Shrine records of the last five years (2023-2026)
- Reported weekly donations
- Below Rs 50 lakh before the alleged theft came to light; about Rs 1.5 crore afterward
