Shrine Offerings – Jammu Court Seeks Crime Branch Records in Silver Probe
Shrine Offerings – vaishno-devi-silver-probeA Jammu court has directed the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Crime Branch to produce all relevant records related to allegations surrounding the handling of silver offerings at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, with the matter scheduled for further hearing later this month.
The Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Jammu has instructed the investigating officer from the Crime Branch to appear in person on July 29, 2026, along with all documents connected to the inquiry. The order was issued after the court examined submissions concerning allegations that silver offerings made by devotees at the revered shrine may have been replaced or mixed with inferior materials, resulting in losses estimated at nearly ₹500 crore.
Complaint Raises Questions Over Shrine Offerings
The proceedings stem from a complaint filed by Advocate Deepak Sharma, who had earlier approached senior officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Crime Branch and its Economic Offences Wing. The complaint requested the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) and a detailed investigation into the alleged adulteration, substitution and possible misappropriation of silver offerings received at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
Submitted on May 9, 2026, the complaint alleged several serious offences, including criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust, financial misappropriation, manipulation of official records and the suspected use of cadmium-containing material in place of genuine silver.
Court Reviews Police Response
According to court proceedings, the complainant moved the judiciary after claiming that no meaningful action had been taken on the allegations. The petition sought an action-taken report and directions for registration of an FIR in accordance with applicable legal provisions.
In response to an earlier court direction, the Crime Branch submitted a status report stating that the complaint had first been forwarded to Crime Headquarters in Srinagar for approval before being sent to the Zonal Police Headquarters in Jammu for further action.
However, the complainant objected to this explanation, arguing that merely transferring the complaint between departments did not satisfy the legal obligation to act on allegations involving cognizable offences.
Legal Arguments Focus on Investigation Process
During the hearing, the complainant contended that the Crime Branch’s Economic Offences Wing in Jammu functions as a notified police station under the relevant government notification. It was argued that the agency was required to process the complaint under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, rather than forwarding it to another authority without initiating appropriate legal steps.
The objections further stated that the status report did not indicate whether investigators had taken measures to secure important evidence. These records reportedly include inventory registers, stock records, CCTV footage, transport documents, assay reports, Mint-related correspondence, electronic data and documentation relating to the receipt, storage, transportation, testing and melting of the offerings.
Allegations Linked to Processed Silver
The dispute gained attention following reports that nearly 20 tonnes of accumulated offerings, estimated to be worth approximately ₹550 crore, had been sent for testing and processing. According to the allegations cited in the complaint, laboratory findings reportedly indicated that only around five to six percent of the material consisted of genuine silver, while the remainder allegedly contained cadmium, iron and other lower-value metals.
The complaint has sought an investigation to determine whether devotees unknowingly purchased counterfeit or adulterated silver items from vendors or whether authentic offerings were replaced, diluted or diverted after being deposited at the shrine. It also calls for scrutiny of every stage of handling, including collection, inventory management, weighing, storage, transportation, testing and melting.
Court Orders Personal Appearance
After considering the submissions from both sides, the court directed the Crime Branch inquiry officer to remain personally present at the next hearing with the complete case record. The proceedings are expected to examine the status of the inquiry and the actions taken so far regarding the allegations.
The complaint also seeks an investigation into the origin and supply chain of the alleged cadmium-containing material and requests that responsibility be determined for any officials, custodians, suppliers, vendors, transporters or other individuals found to have played a role if wrongdoing is established during the investigation.