The Dwaraka Tirumala temple near Eluru in the West Godavari district is in the news as the Andhra Pradesh High Court declared a criminal unfit to be a trustee of the temple.

The court had refused to vacate a stay on the appointment of a temple trustee as a criminal case was pending against him. Justice Nooty Ramamohana Rao passed the verdict while hearing a plea filed by Kurakula Veera Venkata Satyanarayana, who was appointed as a trustee of the temple.

The court earlier stayed the appointment responding to the plea of Satyavarapu Nageswara Rao, who challenged the appointment. Nageswara Rao brought to the notice of the court that a criminal case was pending against Satyanarayana for attacking and abusing a woman pilgrim.  Judge Ramamohana Rao, had earlier dismissed Satyanarayana’s petition. He said the court had noticed that the appointee had not contributed to the development of a charitable institution as required.