Plaint in ACB against delay in taking over temple

A complaint has been filed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) against Muzrai Commissioner and other officials in the Gokarna temple controversy.

The complaint said that by not taking possession of the Gokarna Mahabaleshwara temple even after the Karnataka High Court order, the government had allowed Ramachandrapura Mutt to misappropriate funds of the temple.

The complaint has named Gangaram Baderiya, principal secretary, Muzrai department, Shylaja, endowment commissioner, S S Nakul, deputy commissioner of
Uttara Kannada district and H Halappa, who was appointed the executive officer of
the Gokarna temple on
August 28.

The High Court, on August 10, quashed government’s order issued on August 12, 2008, deleting Gokarna temple from the list of notified temples and handing it over to Ramachandrapura Mutt. The complaint filed by an organisation committee on judicial accountability had said that the temple had to be restored in the list of endowment temples immediately after the High Court order.

“Surprisingly, the government has not taken possession of the temple even one month after the order of the High Court.

“The Ramachandrapura Mutt is not only managing the administration of the temple, it is issuing receipts to devotees for various sevas. This is evident from the receipts being issued by the Mutt in the temple as on date,’’ the complaint said.

It said the High Court had categorically stated that the temple belonged to the government.

The complaint quoted High Court order as saying, “On quashing of the government order dated August 12, 2008, Gokarna temple shall continue to be included in the list of notified institutions.’’

The complaint said by allowing the Mutt to issue receipts and collecting money, the government had been losing income.

“The money and other valuables received from the devotees by the Mutt at the Gokarna temple from August 10, 2018 till the day government takes over should be recovered from the officials concerned,’’ the complaint said.