Baglamukhi Temple Case: ‘Strict action against those found involved in donation fraud’

Indore: Minister of state (independent charge) for culture, tourism, religious faith and religion, Dharmendra Lodhi, on Wednesday said that strict action would be taken against those involved in illegal collection of donations at Baglamukhi Temple in Agar district.The matter came to light after reports surfaced that individuals, completely unrelated to the temple’s official management committee, had printed fake donation receipts to illegally collect money from unsuspecting devotees outside the temple premises.“Some illegal elements, who have no connection with the temple management committee, have been printing fake receipts to carry out illegal collection. We have directed the district collector to take swift action, and a dedicated investigation committee has been formed to look into the case,” Lodhi said.He emphasized that the state government maintained a zero-tolerance policy toward such fraudulent activities. “Those involved in this illegal act will not be spared under any circumstances. Our government will ensure that the harshest possible action is taken against them. Such irregularities will not be tolerated on the soil of Madhya Pradesh,” he said.When asked about financial transparency and the scope of the inquiry, Lodhi clarified that the probe committee was being headed by district collector along with four to five other members.

He said that an exact estimation of the embezzled amount would only be determined once the committee concludes its investigation.The minister said that all state-managed temples undergo mandatory financial audits every three months by their respective district collectors to ensure transparency.To prevent such scams in the future and ensure that the offerings made by devotees reach the correct hands, the government was planning to modernize the donation system.

“We are working on several structural plans in the upcoming days. This includes the implementation of digital payment systems and enabling donations directly via official QR codes,” Lodhi said.He appealed to the public and visiting pilgrims to remain vigilant and urged devotees to verify the authenticity of individuals or counters before handing over any monetary offerings, ensuring their contributions go through official and verified temple channels.