Discrepancies in the transportation of TTD gold was found in the preliminary report submitted by the one-man probe committee of the special chief secretary (Revenue) Manmohan Singh, it is gathered.
It may be recalled that the TTD gold was seized by the election officials during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. It kicked up a controversy, with the state BJP demanding for a probe.
Allegations flew freely accusing over procedural lapses. Although, the TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal denied any procedural lapses, the chief secretary L V Subramaniam ordered a probe appointing the special chief secretary (Revenue & Endowments) and asked him to submit the report by Tuesday.
Following that Manmohan Singh conducted the probe and reportedly found procedural lapses in his preliminary report, which he submitted to the chief secretary yesterday.
In his report, he indicated discrepancies while ferrying the temple’s gold from the bank to the TTD. The bank apparently has not given authorization letter stating that the gold belongs to the TTD and it is being returned to the temple board on expiry of deposit period.
In the report, it is gathered, while admitting that transportation of gold the responsibility of the bank, yet the EO cannot wash off his hands by shirking responsibility whatsoever of the TTD.
The temple receives daily cash and gold ornaments from the donors (disciples of presiding deity Lord Venkateshwara) and all that gold is being deposited in various banks by the TTD from time to time. Whenever, the deposit time expires, the concerned banks will return back the gold to the TTD. This is the normal practice that is being followed by the TTD.
But, the seizure and later release of the gold ornaments being transported from the bank t temple vault had kicked up a controversy. It also opened up Pandora’s box over the norms being followed in all such transportation – from the temple to the bank and vice-versa.
Moreover, amidst allegations of some gold theft, especially during transporation, had also thrown up questions over how safely they are being brought back, whether the volume of gold deposited getting back to the temple or not, so and so forth?