HC orders twin probes into TTD Parakamani theft

 Tirupati: AP High Court ordered twin probes by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) into the alleged theft and misuse of funds from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Parakamani — the sacred treasury where devotees’ offerings are counted.

Justice Gannamaneni Ramakrishna Prasad, issuing the directions on Monday, said the investigation by the CID must be led by a Director General of Police (DGP)-rank officer and cover all aspects of the alleged misappropriation. The court also asked the agency to scrutinise the role of the de facto complainant, TTD assistant vigilance and security officer Y Satish Kumar. The CID has been given time until December 2 to submit its findings, when the case will next be reviewed.

The ACB has been entrusted with examining the wealth and assets of the accused, CV Ravi Kumar, and his family. The bureau will probe their bank accounts, property deals, and other financial transactions to determine whether these correspond with their legitimate income.

The case traces back to March 2023, when Ravi Kumar, a Parakamani supervisor and an employee of the Jeeyar Mutt associated with TTD, was caught stealing foreign currency worth about $920. Later scrutiny of CCTV footage revealed repeated thefts amounting to over $11,000. Despite a chargesheet being filed in the II Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Tirupati, the accused subsequently donated seven immovable properties to TTD — raising questions about the motive behind the gesture.

Justice Prasad noted that Ravi Kumar and his family had donated properties valued at Rs 14.50 crore, which were accepted by the TTD Chairman on June 19, 2023, without a Board resolution — a lapse the court termed ‘administratively serious.’ The judge also criticised investigators for failing to invoke Section 409 of the IPC (criminal breach of trust by a public servant) and limiting action to a mere notice under Section 41-A of the CrPC.

Pointing to procedural irregularities, the judge relieved the Tirupati magistrate handling the case of all protocol duties and referred the matter to the Chief Justice to be placed before a Division Bench. This Bench will review the legality of a Lok Adalat award that settled the case in September 2023 — a decision the TTD Board later endorsed.

The Lok Adalat settlement came under fire from the Sadhu Parishad, which moved the court alleging that the case was hurriedly closed to avoid deeper scrutiny. Representing the organisation, senior advocate Unnam Muralidhar told the court that Parishad members who questioned the process received threat calls. The High Court has now directed TTD and other respondents to file their counters and asked both the CID and ACB to submit independent investigation reports before December 2.