Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) member and BJP leader G Bhanuprakash Reddy has raised serious allegations about widespread scams at the ‘Lost and Found Goods’ section, which is overseen by the Command Control Unit of the TTD.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, he stated, “It is common for devotees visiting Tirupati to misplace or lose their belongings unknowingly. Such items are typically stored at the lost items counter managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Vigilance and Security Department. If unclaimed after a certain period, these items are added to the Tirumala hundial account, with their details recorded in the register.”
However, a study conducted by the Vigilance and Security Department in 2023 revealed significant discrepancies between the recorded details in the register and the actual items deposited. The missing items are valued at crores of rupees. Bhanuprakash accused certain officials in the Vigilance Department of misappropriating small items lost by pilgrims at Tirumala, such as cash, jewellery, and electronic gadgets. According to Bhanu Prakash Reddy, many individuals, including Security Unit Officer Sivashankar, were implicated in this scam.
“When I confronted a senior official about this scam, he claimed that an investigation had already been conducted during the previous regime and dismissed the need for further inquiry. However, the latest security report from the Tirupati Devasthanam strongly recommends a fresh investigation into the matter,” he added.
He referred to this incident as a continuation of the Parakamani scam and called for a detailed investigation into the matter, which he claimed occurred under the YSRCP government in 2023.
He further criticized the absence of a proper system for recording ‘lost and found’ items in the past and questioned why no disciplinary or legal action was taken against Siva Shankar. Instead, he claimed the inspector was sent back to his parent department. “When the TTD files complaints against petty thieves or ticket scalpers, how could they allow an inspector implicated in such a scam to walk free?” he asked.
Notably, Sivashankar, who is implicated in this scam, was also accused in the high-profile Parakamani theft case at Tirupati Devasthanams last year, raising further questions about systemic lapses and accountability within the institution.
Dubbed ‘Parakamani-2,’ the new case mirrors the earlier Parakamani scam, in which a clerk, C.V. Ravi Kumar, was caught stealing foreign currency during the Srivari Hundi counting process. Bhanuprakash noted that video evidence of the Parakamani scam had mysteriously gone missing, suggesting the involvement of Siva Shankar in erasing the footage. He alleged that Siva Shankar was allowed a ‘safe exit’ under the guise of repatriation and demanded a comprehensive investigation to uncover the truth. Bhanuprakash presented the findings of the internal inquiry conducted by the TTD Vigilance Department to support his claims.
Bhanu Prakash Reddy had claimed that during the previous YSRCP administration, a man named Ravi Kumar was caught stealing at the Parakamani in Tirumala. He alleged that, despite being apprehended by vigilance officials, Ravi Kumar was protected by certain police officers and board members. Bhanu Prakash also alleged that over ₹100 crore were misappropriated and questioned how an employee of clerical rank could accumulate such massive wealth. He further claimed that some individuals conspired to take a share of the stolen assets and promised to disclose their identities soon.
He also criticized a police officer for allegedly pressuring the TTD to settle the matter during the investigation. Bhanu Prakash accused the previous YSRCP leadership of negligence, misusing officials for personal benefit, and exploiting temple properties. He vowed to expose all those involved in the misappropriation of temple assets.
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