TempleFraud – Rameswaram Temple Suspends Six Staff Over Prasadam Irregularities
TempleFraud – A major administrative inquiry at the famous Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple has led to the temporary suspension of six employees after officials uncovered alleged financial and stock-related irregularities connected to the preparation and sale of prasadam. According to temple authorities, the suspected malpractice involved the unauthorised sale of laddus and is estimated to have caused losses exceeding Rs 3.4 crore.
Surprise Inspection Revealed Stock Mismatch
The issue reportedly came to light during an unannounced inspection carried out on March 14 by Joint Commissioner and Executive Officer K Chelladurai. During the inspection, officials compared the daily sales data with the quantity of raw materials used in the prasadam preparation unit and found major inconsistencies.
Sources within the administration stated that a detailed verification of storage records and inventory exposed shortages in several essential ingredients. These included more than 1,100 kilograms of sugar, nearly 440 kilograms of murukku flour, over 370 kilograms of jaggery, and 216 kilograms of gram flour. Authorities also noticed the disappearance of over 1.4 lakh butter paper covers that were meant for packaging prasadam items.
Free Laddu Scheme Under Scrutiny
Investigators believe the alleged fraud may be linked to the free prasadam distribution initiative introduced at the temple on December 31, 2023. Under this programme, devotees visiting the temple were eligible to receive complimentary 30-gram laddus.
However, the internal inquiry reportedly found that materials allocated for the free distribution scheme were diverted to manufacture around 1,000 larger commercial laddus weighing 50 grams each on a daily basis. Officials suspect that these laddus were sold through temple counters without authorisation and that the revenue generated from those sales was misused by individuals connected to the operation.
Quality of Ingredients Also Questioned
The investigation further revealed concerns regarding the quality and quantity of ingredients used in the prasadam preparation process. Officials alleged that costly ingredients such as cashews, cardamom, and ghee were either reduced significantly or omitted entirely in the preparation, despite purchase invoices being recorded in temple accounts.
Authorities also suspect that additional ingredients were sourced illegally from outside markets to increase production beyond the approved quantity. Investigators believe this may have been done to hide the scale of the unauthorised operations and balance discrepancies in stock records.
Allegations Against Temple Officials
Apart from the suspected financial irregularities, the inquiry reportedly uncovered claims involving temporary workers employed at the temple. Officials alleged that certain staff members collected around Rs 30,000 each from daily wage workers under the pretext of administrative or employment-related charges.
Based on statements gathered during the investigation and an examination of bank transaction records, the temple administration initiated disciplinary measures on May 5. The suspended employees include junior assistants K Panchamoorthi and T Lavanya, ticket seller K Ambika, assistant Selvi, sanitation worker C Sivaneswari, and security guard P Vikram.
Further Action Expected From HR&CE Department
In addition to the suspensions, three temporary employees were removed from service. Those dismissed include machine operator Prabu Ravi along with workers Nithyanandam and Balaji.
Temple authorities confirmed that a comprehensive report detailing the findings of the inquiry has been forwarded to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department for further review and possible legal or departmental action. Officials said additional proceedings may follow after the department examines the evidence collected during the investigation.
The development has drawn attention due to the prominence of the temple, which attracts thousands of devotees from across the country every year. Authorities have stated that measures are being taken to strengthen monitoring systems and ensure transparency in the handling of prasadam preparation and sales in the future.