Maharashtra CM orders fresh investigation of Siddhivinayak Temple donation case

Devotees at the Siddhivinayak Temple seek blessings. File | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini Days after Siddhivinayak Temple Trustees raised irregularities in the collection of donations, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis instructed a fresh investigation into the case. Mr. Fadnavis gave directions to the Home Affairs Department to investigate the temple’s records from 2022 to 2026. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray raised the issue on August 2, claiming that every year from 2023, irregularities of at least ₹18 crore had appeared. He made accusations, saying, “After the accused were caught, the weekly donation amount increased from ₹50 lakh to about ₹1.5 crore.”Nine employees of the temple have been arrested. Siddhivinayak Temple embezzlement allegations come after the controversies over irregularities in donations at the Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.On August 3, the trustees sought an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Maharashtra Law and Judiciary Department. Published - August 08, 2026 10:49 pm IST