Uncovering Alleged Irregularities at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams: Vigilance Department’s Show Cause Notices to 50 Staff Members

The Vigilance and Enforcement Department has reportedly taken action by issuing show cause notices to approximately 50 staff members of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), including individuals from the engineering division. This move is part of a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities within the well-known temple trust spanning the last five years. The inquiry was prompted by Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s call to revamp and cleanse the TTD and has been ongoing for more than a month. Special teams from the vigilance and enforcement unit have been delving into various departments within the TTD, meticulously reviewing records and concentrating on the trust’s operations over the past five years. The examination encompasses processes related to donations, allocation of VIP break darshan, building of new temples in both Telugu states using trust funds, as well as the distribution of VIP break darshan and Arjitha Seva tickets under discretionary quotas. Additionally, the issuance and renewal of shop and hawker licenses at Tirumala are under scrutiny. Sources familiar with the investigation disclosed that high-ranking officers, including those from the revenue department, were extensively questioned by the vigilance teams. The engineering projects carried out during the previous YSRC government’s term are under particular scrutiny, with concerns raised about significant sums of money allocated for various unanticipated engineering ventures over the last five years.