Temple finds ‘gold’ ornaments donated by Hyderabad man were copper

Gold-plated copper ornaments donated to Anjanadri temple, displayed during a ceremonial event.

Koppal: A major controversy has erupted surrounding donations made to the famous Anjanadri Hill temple, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, after ornaments claimed to be worth Rs 2.5 crore in gold were allegedly found to be gold-plated copper items during official verification.

The incident came to light after Hyderabad-based businessman Mahesh Reddy donated a decorative crown arch, chakra and gada to the temple on May 8. The businessman had visited the temple along with Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy, who had publicly stated that his close associate had donated gold ornaments worth around Rs 2.5 crore to the deity.

However, before officially accepting the ornaments into the government treasury, district authorities conducted a mandatory verification process. During the inspection led by Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Malagitti, officials reportedly discovered that the ornaments contained only around 28 grams of actual gold. The remaining portions were allegedly made of copper coated with gold plating.

Officials said the businessman had also failed to provide official purchase bills or authenticity documents for the ornaments. According to sources, the ornaments were used only for two days for the deity’s decoration at the donor’s request.

Following the revelations, the district administration has issued a notice to Mahesh Reddy asking him to submit valid invoices and details regarding the actual value of the ornaments. Authorities have also refused to deposit the donated items into the government treasury until proper documentation is produced.

The incident has triggered widespread discussion among devotees and locals, with many questioning attempts to gain publicity in the name of religious donations. Officials stated that protecting the sanctity of the temple and maintaining transparency in donations remains a priority.

Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News, Technology, Entertainment, Sports, Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUDA scam: Karnataka Lokayukta seeks more time to submit final report

Image
Bengaluru : The Karnataka Lokayukta, which is probing the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam matter in which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was named as one of the accused, has sought more time from the court to submit the final report. Considering the plea, Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat of the Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru has posted the matter for hearing on February 24. The counsel representing the prosecution submitted that Lokayukta ADGP A. Subramanyeshwara Rao is reviewing the report and requested additional time for submission due to technical reasons. Mysuru Lokayukta SP T.J. Udesh had submitted the MUDA scam report to Lokayukta ADGP Subramanyeshwara Rao on February 13, following the directions of the High Court bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna. According to sources, the final report on the MUDA scam consists of 550 pages across five volumes. The legal cell of the Lokayukta will examine the report and decide whether to file a charge sheet or su...
Read more

Kannada actor held for smuggling gold worth Rs 12 cr from Dubai

Image
Bengaluru : The arrest of Kannada film actor Ranya Rao, daughter of a senior IPS officer in Karnataka , has exposed a major gold smuggling operation in India. Investigations by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) revealed that the 31-year-old actress used an unusual method to evade security checks — she attached 14 gold bars to her thighs using adhesive, wrapped them with tape, and concealed them under a crepe bandage. Officials described her arrest as one of the biggest breakthroughs in recent gold smuggling cases. So far, authorities have seized 17.29 kg of gold and cash in the case. This includes 14.8 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore recovered at the airport, Rs 2.06 crore worth of gold from her Bengaluru residence, and apart from that Rs 2.67 crore in cash. Ranya Rao was apprehended on Monday night upon her arrival at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on an Emirates flight from Dubai. The DRI, acting on prior intelligence, deployed a four-member team at t...
Read more

Rahul Dravid’s car hit by goods-laden auto in Bengaluru, video goes viral

Image
Bengaluru: An incident of a goods-laden auto colliding with the former Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid’s SUV was reported from Bengaluru on Tuesday. A viral 11-second video shows Dravid arguing with the auto driver after the collision. The accident took place on Tuesday evening on Cunningham Road, a busy area in Bengaluru. Sources state that Dravid was travelling from Indian Express Junction towards High Grounds when the incident occurred. The auto driver allegedly rammed into his car from behind while it was stuck in traffic. The video shows Dravid stepping out of his car, inspecting the damage, and questioning the auto driver. The driver is seen explaining that the accident happened due to the sudden movement of a Fortuner car ahead of him. Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid's car & a commercial goods vehicle were involved in a minor accident on Cunningham road in #Bengaluru . And unlike the #cred ad, #RahulDravid & the goods vehicle driver engaged in a civilized argum...
Read more