Tirupati, August 22: In a shocking revelation, the chief priest of a subtemple under the control of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) admitted to having pawned temple jewellery to a private lender to raise money for personal use.
The priest in question, Venkataramana Deekshitulu of Sri Kodandarama Swamy Temple (not the TTD Chief Priest Ramana Deekshitulu) in this town, was taken into custody by the vigilance wing of the TTD. By evening the Vigilance wing lodged a complaint with the police and handed him over to the police and cases of cheating filed against him.
Deekshitulu allegedly pledged for Rs 9 lakh a couple of jewels of the presiding deity, reportedly weighing more than a kilogram, to Kamadhenu and Co, a pawnbroker in Chinna Bazaar street near the temple. Chief priest of the temple for over four decades, he resorted to this act many years ago reportedly due to financial distress.
The matter came to light only today when inventory was taken in accordance with an order given by the High Court.
Acting on a petition filed before it, the High Court had directed the TTD to submit to the court a complete inventory of properties belonging to the Devasthanams, including jewellery of the main temple of Lord Venkateswara, and all other temples — big and small — under the control of TTD. It was in the course of this exercise by the TTD that the jewellery, including the main “haaram” belonging to Kodandaramaswamy temple, was found missing.
Speaking to newsmen, the priest admitted he had pawned the jewellery to a private moneylender but “did not remember when” and claimed that he had since repaid Rs 3 lakh. He was trying his best to raise the remaining amount and pay off the lender, claimed Deekshitulu, who appeared very sick.
The pawnbroker, Sagarmal, said he was not initially aware that the pawned item belonged to God and that when he learnt it was temple property, started bringing pressure on the priest, who promised to pay up soon and redeem the jewel. But so far only part payment has been made.
According to TTD Chief Vigilance and Security Officer Ramakrishna, it was not the first time that the priest had pawned temple jewellery for personal use.
This had been going on for some six or seven years and there were seven precious items worth several lakhs of rupees still with the pawnbrokers. During preliminary investigation, it was found that ten valuable items belonging to the Lord Kodandarama Swamy temple were pawned.
The accused has claimed having redeemed three.
“We are still probing the case and the full extent of misappropriation can be known only after verification of temple treasure registers and inventory reports which are given after value appraisal of the jewellery from time to time. After our investigation, we will hand him over to the police along with the report,” he said.
Sources, said Venkatramana Deekshitulu had during appraisal showed only “gold-covered silver items” used in the temple and when the gold proper was sought, started hedging.Meanwhile, TTD chairman DK Adikeshavulu Naidu has deplored the priest’s act and said stringent action would be taken against all those guilty.
This is not the first time that a scandal over jewellery belonging to the TTD has surfaced.
A few years ago, 200 five-gm gold “dollars’’ were misappropriated and the TTD even initiated action against many temple staffers in that connection. For sometime now, several sections have been voicing serious concern over the safety of the Lord’s jewellery, worth thousands of crores of rupees. A former vigilance officer of the TTD, who inquired into the missing dollars case, opined in his report that the present system of protecting the jewellery was not fool-proof and suggested various measures.
—Agencies