Parakamani case: A.P. CID seizes key files after High Court raps police over lapses in probe

Director General of Police (CID) Ravishankar Ayyanar on Tuesday seized crucial documents relating to the case of alleged swindling of foreign currency notes offered to the ‘Hundi’ in the form of donations at the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala. 

The move comes a day after the Andhra Pradesh High Court pulled up the Police Department over its ‘slack and indifferent’ handling of the probe and failure to secure vital evidence in time.

Addressing the media, Dr. Ayyanar confirmed that the CID had taken possession of the TTD Trust Board’s resolutions, the Lok Adalat compromise papers, the case diary, CCTV footage, and other related documents.

“All the seized documents will be produced before the High Court,” he said.

The Parakamani controversy dates back to April 2023, when allegations of large-scale theft of foreign currency notes from the temple hundi surfaced.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had named Ravikumar, a clerk attached to the Pedda Jeeyar Mutt, as the key accused. However, the case took a twist when the issue was settled in the Lok Adalat Court in Tirupati, raising speculations against the compromise formula worked out, according to which Ravikumar had reportedly gifted properties worth several crores of rupees to the TTD, eventually leading to the case’s closure.

There was a hue and cry over the issue after the NDA government assumed office in the State. The BJP alleged that huge amounts had changed hands as part of the ‘compromise formula’, following which the Andhra Pradesh High Court formed an SIT and ordered a detailed probe. 

The case has been posted for its next hearing to October 17.