TTD Board Unveils Evidence in Parakamani Scam, Welcomes HC’s Fresh Probe Order

Quick Summary

• Incident Details: TTD Trust Board members released surveillance footage related to the Parakamani scam dating back to April 2023, where an accused named C.V. Ravi Kumar was caught stealing currency notes worth $11,300 (₹9 lakh approx.).
• Discrepancies in Recovery: despite recovery claims of only $900 in the FIR,reports indicate properties worth ₹100 crore were amassed through repeated thefts of foreign currencies over time.
• Settlement Controversy: The Lok Adalat resolved the case by allowing Mr. Ravi Kumar to “donate” properties worth ₹40 crore to TTD in September 2023. Allegations arose over this settlement being flawed and unauthorized.
• High Court Intervention: Andhra Pradesh High Court directed reopening of the case under CB-CID while suspending prior Lok Adalat orders and seizing related records for investigation.
• Vigilance Wing report: The report claimed pressure from police bosses led TTD officials toward a compromise deal despite evidence implicating deeper financial swindling.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The Parakamani scam at Tirumala highlights critical vulnerabilities in handling vast public donations within religious institutions like TTD. The alleged discrepancies between reported recoveries and actual stolen amounts underline potential systemic gaps or collusion among various stakeholders. With accusations of unofficial settlements undermining justice and propriety, reopening the investigation under CB-CID offers hope for clarity on these concerns.

Institutions managing funds belonging to public trusts are entrusted with utmost transparency and accountability-which appear compromised here based on initial findings. This will likely prompt calls for strengthening vigilance mechanisms across all such entities nationwide, ensuring donor faith remains intact amidst mounting scrutiny.

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