Overview
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, Aug 8, 2026 directed officials to examine Siddhivinayak Temple records for the past five years and to submit a report quickly.
- MNS chief Raj Thackeray has publicly alleged that about Rs 18 crore was being siphoned off from the temple’s donations each year.
- Trustees led by Rahul Londhe reviewed CCTV footage that they say showed employees taking money in the name of VIP darshan, and police have arrested nine temple employees in the case.
- Trust chair Sada Sarvankar blamed irregularities on the prior administration while former chair Vishakha Raut rejected that charge, deepening a public dispute between current and former trust leaders.
- Temple officials report higher recorded collections since the arrests and the probe follows a wider national trend of tighter scrutiny of how large shrines collect and count donations, with possible legal and administrative consequences depending on the inquiry’s findings.