The Maharashtra Law and Judiciary Department has asked the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust to submit a detailed financial report. This request comes right as a political storm builds around allegations that Rs 18 crore is being siphoned off from the Mumbai temple every year. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray made the claim. The Trust has pushed back hard on the timing.
According to the Trust, this isn’t really about Thackeray’s allegations at all. Instead, it says the audit request traces back to its own letter to the department in May. This was months before the controversy became public.
What the Trust Is Saying
“The Law and Judiciary Department has asked the trust administration to submit a report. Based on that report, the state government will decide the further course of action,” trustee Rahul Londhe said on Monday.
The Trust has been categorical in rejecting Thackeray’s specific claim. It says no letter alleging Rs 18 crore in annual losses was ever sent to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. This is the letter Thackeray referenced in his speech.
Instead, the Trust maintains it approached the Law and Judiciary Department in May 2026 on its own initiative. It was seeking a comprehensive audit of temple donations.
How the Allegation Surfaced
Thackeray made the Rs 18 crore claim on August 1, speaking at the 20th anniversary event of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena. He said a letter to Shinde had raised suspicion that earlier theft of donations may have led to underreporting. This, he said, caused losses of around Rs 18 crore a year. He demanded an impartial investigation.
The claim didn’t stay confined to one party. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut backed Thackeray’s allegation, and Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal separately called for a fair probe. The Congress asked the government to investigate the matter and make its findings public.
The Trust’s Version of Events
Trust president and Minister of State Sada Sarvankar tells a different story about who raised the alarm first. He says it was the trustees themselves who noticed discrepancies in donation collections and alerted authorities before any public allegations surfaced.
“I approached the Anti Corruption Bureau and its chief Vishwas Nangre Patil with a complaint, following which officers were deployed at the temple,” Sarvankar said. He also pushed back against the theft narrative more broadly. He attributed recent increases in donation figures to administrative reforms rather than any ongoing loss.
Sarvankar went further, alleging that all the individuals arrested in connection with the case have links to Shiv Sena (UBT). This is a claim the party has not responded to.
The Original Theft Case
The controversy has its roots in an actual theft case from earlier this year. Temple authorities first noticed cash missing from a donation box on March 20. Dadar police initially registered an FIR over the theft of Rs 10,000, but the investigation ultimately recovered Rs 80,000.
CCTV footage played a central role in cracking the case. Investigators found footage showing individuals repeatedly removing cash from a small donation box over roughly ten days.
One temple employee, Rajendra Pendurkar, was arrested for allegedly stealing donation money. Eight more people were arrested in March, according to the Trust. Sarvankar confirmed the arrests took place on March 21.
Police have since filed a chargesheet in the case. All the accused are currently out on bail.
With the Law and Judiciary Department now awaiting a formal report from the Trust, the state government’s next move will depend heavily on what that report actually shows.
Given the political weight this case has already picked up, with MNS, Shiv Sena (UBT), the NCP and Congress all weighing in, whatever the audit finds is likely to become a flashpoint. This will occur regardless of which version of events it ultimately supports.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
