Tirupati: A major scam has come to light within the ‘Lost and Found Goods’ section of the TTD, with allegations of corruption and mismanagement levelled against officials tasked with safeguarding pilgrims’ lost belongings.

TTD board member and BJP senior leader G Bhanu Prakash Reddy has exposed the scandal, pointing to serious irregularities and systemic misconduct within the department during the previous YSRCP regime.

Devotees frequently misplace valuables, which are held at the lost and found counter managed by the TTD Vigilance and Security Department. Any unclaimed items are meant to be deposited into the Srivari Main Hundi, with proper documentation. However, a 2023 inquiry uncovered massive discrepancies between recorded entries and actual deposits, exposing the disappearance of valuables worth crores.

A report by the TTD vigilance wing in this regard, accessed by The Hans India, reveals large-scale negligence and misappropriation, bringing disrepute to the TTD. Yet, the administration of the revered religious organisation did not take any serious action on this till now.

Bhanu Prakash Reddy accused officials of siphoning off lost items including jewellery, cash, electronic gadgets among other things. He directly implicated vigilance inspector (VI) Siva Sankar as a key figure in the scandal, alleging collusion among multiple individuals. The command control centre, responsible for monitoring CCTV footage and managing lost-and-found records, is now under scrutiny for facilitating these irregularities.

According to the vigilance wing’s findings, valuables, including gold and silver ornaments, mobile phones and cash, were either mismanaged or misused by staff for personal gain. Siva Sankar, in charge during the investigation period, was found to have deliberately neglected record-keeping, allowing for systemic exploitation. Some recovered mobile phones were allegedly used by staff with his approval, while cash and valuables remained unaccounted for.

Bhanu Prakash said that he has questioned a senior TTD official about the whole episode who dismissed the allegations, claiming that an earlier inquiry had addressed the issue. However, the latest vigilance report strongly recommends reopening the case, linking this scandal to the earlier Parakamani misappropriation under the YSRCP government in 2023.

One of the major findings was the mismanagement of gold and silver ornaments. Despite records indicating their deposit into the Srivari Main Hundi, CCTV footage revealed no evidence of this, raising serious doubts about their whereabouts.

Staff members failed to provide satisfactory explanations for these discrepancies, and attendance records were found to be falsified, with CCTV operators marked present despite being absent.

The most troubling part of the scandal is the accusation that Siva Sankar enabled the misconduct. Rather than ensuring strict accountability, he allegedly ignored the issues, allowing corruption to continue. Testimonies from staff further highlighted his inaction, which led to unchecked irregularities.

The vigilance wing has called for immediate action, suggesting Siva Sankar be sent back to his parent department and the transfer of all implicated staff, including CCTV operators, vendors, and supervisors.

However, Bhanu Prakash Reddy has questioned the lack of disciplinary or legal action against Siva Sankar. “TTD quickly cracks down on petty thieves and ticket scalpers, yet an inspector linked to a major scam remains unaffected. How is this fair?” he said.

With mounting pressure and growing public concern, the spotlight is now on the TTD administration to take decisive action and restore faith in its security and vigilance systems.