Overview
- Shrine officials sent about 20 tonnes of accumulated silver offerings to a government mint for refining and testing; reports say the melted material contained only about 5–6% actual silver with the remainder reportedly cadmium, iron and cheaper metals.
- A complaint filed on May 9 accused vendors and officials of criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust and use of cadmium-laden material and sought a formal investigation.
- The Jammu court has ordered the Crime Branch inquiry officer to appear with records and set a hearing for July 29 as police continue their probe.
- On Thursday the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, held a review of donation handling and defended its SOPs, citing double-locked CCTV-monitored boxes, SDM oversight, CRPF-guarded strongrooms and use of government-approved mints.
- No public forensic or court finding has yet assigned blame; the presence of cadmium raises health and reputational concerns and could trigger supply-chain audits, an FIR and tighter checks on vendors, transport and refining procedures.