In a significant development, a single-judge Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, led by Justice Gannamaneni Ramakrishna Prasad, has ordered a comprehensive CID investigation into the alleged theft of offerings, including foreign currency, from the revered Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala. This high-profile probe will be spearheaded by an officer of the Director General of Police (DGP) rank.
Justice Ramakrishna Prasad explicitly mandated that the investigation must extend to examining the conduct of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board, its key officers, and even the de facto complainant, Assistant Vigilance and Security Officer Y. Satish Kumar. The court has set a strict deadline of December 2 for the completion of this intricate inquiry, with the next hearing scheduled for the same date.
Furthermore, the judge directed an ACB (Anti-Corruption Bureau) officer, also of DGP rank, to conduct a thorough inquiry into the movable and immovable assets, including all bank accounts, belonging to the prime accused, C.V. Ravi Kumar (a TTD clerk), and his family. This will also cover any property transfers or registrations they have undertaken, examining these against their known sources of income.
Crucially, Justice Ramakrishna Prasad has referred the matter of the legality of an Award passed by the Lok Adalat in September 2023 to the Chief Justice, requesting its consideration by a Division Bench for a deeper review.
The High Court Officer has been tasked with transferring 16 sealed bundles of relevant materials to the Registrar (Judicial), who will then hand them over to the CID DGP for their investigation.
In a move to ensure impartiality and transparency, the judge also suggested that the II Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate of Tirupati, where the charge sheet in this case was filed, should be immediately relieved of all protocol duties.
Justice Ramakrishna Prasad highlighted a concerning detail: Mr. Ravi Kumar, who supervised the handling of temple offerings (Parakamani), and his family had reportedly offered to donate/gift properties worth ₹14.50 crore to the TTD. This donation was approved by the TTD Chairman on June 19, 2023, notably without any formal resolution from the Board.
The order also pointed out a significant oversight in the initial proceedings: the failure to file a serious charge under Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code against Mr. Ravi Kumar, despite his status as a public servant. Instead, only a notice under Section 41-A of the Criminal Procedure Code was issued, which the judge deemed a substantial lapse.