HC notice to TTD over probe into Tirumala treasure hunt

The High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad on Tuesday, taking up a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding CBI inquiry into the alleged treasure hunt at Tirumala temple, has served notices on the executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) and the Endowment Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh.

The officials have been given three weeks time to reply.

The PIL was filed by Bhupender Goswamy of Gujarat and Anil Kumar of Guntur district of AP, both sworn devotees of Lord Venkateswara. They sought the High Court's intervention, alleging that valuable jewellery hidden in troves near Sri Vari Potu were dug up and looted by some persons. They even charged that the supposed gold plating of the main gopuram was fake. The petitioners, who filed the PIL some time ago, sought a CBI inquiry and submitted several newspaper clippings in support of their charges.

The bench hearing the case refused to take cognizance of newspaper clippings and directed the TTD and state endowment department to investigate and submit an affidavit within three weeks.

The TTD has already clarified that there were no hidden treasures inside the outer or inner Parikrama of the temple and no digging was undertaken in recent years, except the masonry work done in Potu (kitchen) to save the ancient temple walls from the heat of the gas burners at the Potu where all the offerings to the lord were prepared.

TTD denies treasure

The TTD Board members had recently visited the repository of the lord’s jewels and precious gifts to match them with the earlier catalogues certified by two different committees under prominent retired judges. The Board also said that it is ready to display all the gifts of the Lord if the “Agama Mandal” allowed them.

The battle over the richest temple in the world has finally reached the portals of the High Court with the state BJP and YSRCP demanding a CBI inquiry, alleging that gold and jewels were dug up under the guise of repairs and were transported to Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s residence. YSRCP MP Vijaya Sai Reddy even demanded that the CBI raid Naidu’s house to unearth the truth.