Shirdi: One Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust employee has been suspended for allegedly stealing cash from the temple's donation boxes. The Sansthan trust filed a police complaint at the Shirdi Police Station in Maharashtra.
The theft allegedly occurred during the counting of donations. Trust officials discovered the alleged theft while reviewing CCTV footage from the counting room. Suspicious movements by Balasaheb Narayan Gondkar, a peon in the accounts department, prompted further review of past footage.
Internal enquiry found that Gondkar allegedly concealed and stole bundles of Rs 500 notes during counting sessions on April 4, 8, and 11. The trust authorities estimate the total stolen amount to be between Rs 1.25 to Rs 1.5 lakh. CCTV footage allegedly shows Gondkar hiding the notes under his thighs, in his clothing, and behind a counting machine.
Following the discovery, Sansthan officials suspended Gondkar. Chief executive officer Goraksha Gadilkar directed accounts officer Avinash Vinayak Kulkarni to file a police complaint against Gondkar.
Sai Sansthan utilises devotee donations for various development projects and facilities in Shirdi, including free schools, colleges, and the Sainath Hospital. Shirdi police officials said that Gondkar is currently hospitalised due to an accident. They will proceed with further legal action upon his discharge.
This is not the first instance of donation theft at the temple. A similar incident led to the suspension and prosecution of another employee a few years ago. In response, the Sansthan implemented stricter security measures, including CCTV surveillance in the counting room, the assignment of employees from diverse departments for counting duties, the provision of pocketless clothing to counting staff, and security checks upon exiting the counting area. Despite these measures, the recent incident has raised concerns about the security of the temple's donation process.
