Supreme Court Orders Action To Stop Alleged Siphoning Of Donations At Banke Bihari Temple

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that every donation made by devotees at the Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan must reach the temple's official donation boxes or be deposited online into its treasury. The court's direction came amid serious allegations that offerings made by devotees were being diverted instead of reaching the temple's accounts. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana took note of submissions concerning the alleged siphoning of donations at the prominent temple.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, who appeared before the court, placed a status report prepared by the high-powered committee overseeing the temple's functioning. Singh told the court that the committee had identified serious issues requiring urgent attention. He also referred to photographs and video evidence submitted as part of the proceedings. According to his submission, a video showed three people standing near a traditional donation box, or golak, collecting money directly from devotees and putting the cash into polythene bags. The allegations prompted a strong response from the bench, which made it clear that offerings made by devotees must be channelled through authorised mechanisms.

The court directed that every penny donated at the temple must be deposited either into the designated donation boxes or through online transfers into the temple treasury. The Supreme Court also warned that any attempt to obstruct the proper collection of donations would be treated seriously. The bench specifically said that any impediment created by sevayats or any other person would invite serious consideration by the court, underscoring the need for accountability in the handling of temple offerings. The court further directed the temple management committee to introduce a transparent mechanism for managing the temple treasury.

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The move is aimed at ensuring that donations can be properly accounted for and that devotees' offerings are protected from alleged diversion or unauthorised collection. The proceedings were initiated in connection with pleas filed by the management committee of Thakur Shree Bankey Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple. The temple, one of the most prominent religious sites in Vrindavan, attracts large numbers of devotees, particularly during major religious occasions. The Supreme Court's intervention comes amid broader concerns over the management of donations and administration at the temple.

The status report submitted before the bench provided the court with information from the high-powered committee overseeing its functioning and brought the alleged irregularities in donation collection into focus. The court's direction effectively establishes that offerings must be routed through formal temple-controlled channels rather than being collected privately from devotees. The emphasis on online payments also seeks to strengthen transparency by creating a clearer record of transactions entering the temple treasury.

The bench's warning signals that the court will take allegations involving the diversion of devotees' offerings seriously. The temple management has now been tasked with putting in place mechanisms that can ensure donations are securely collected, properly recorded and deposited into the official treasury. Supreme Court's directions are intended to prevent the alleged pilferage of offerings and strengthen financial transparency at the Banke Bihari Temple. Further action will depend on the implementation of the management committee's measures and the findings emerging from the ongoing proceedings.

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