CID Summons ex-TTD Chief in Parakamani Probe

• CID issues notice to former TTD chairman Karunakar Reddy in Parakamani irregularities case.
• High Court-directed probe focuses on alleged cover-up in 2023 theft and Lok Adalat settlement.
• NDA targets previous TTD board; YSRCP leader calls probe politically driven.
• Parakamani integrity central to safeguarding temple finances and public faith.

GG News Bureau
Amaravati, 25th Nov: The probe into alleged irregularities within the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Parakamani, the sacred system of counting devotees’ offerings, escalated as the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) issued a formal notice to former TTD Board chairman Bhoomana Karunakar Reddy to appear before investigators on Tuesday.

The CID said his questioning is mandatory, calling his statement “crucial” for the fair and complete progress of the inquiry, given his confirmed presence or invitation to a board meeting related to the Parakamani issue.

The investigation stems from an Andhra Pradesh High Court directive issued on October 27. The Parakamani, more than a routine accounting exercise, is a rigorous, round-the-clock system of sorting, counting, and categorising massive offerings of cash, foreign currency, gold, and silver deposited by devotees in the Srivari Hundi at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple.

To ensure transparency, the TTD deploys vetted sevakars from banking, government, and public sector backgrounds who operate under continuous CCTV surveillance. With the TTD managing an annual budget of several thousand crores, maintaining the integrity of the Parakamani is essential not only for temple finances but also for sustaining the faith of millions of devotees worldwide.

The current probe has its roots in a 2023 theft case involving a Parakamani worker caught stealing foreign currency. What began as an isolated crime soon evolved into a larger political storm. The previous TTD board, chaired by Karunakar Reddy during the YSRCP government, accepted a “compromise settlement” through a Lok Adalat, where the accused donated properties to the TTD as atonement.

The High Court-ordered probe is examining the circumstances of this settlement and the conduct of officials and board members, looking for possible evidence of a cover-up or collusion.

The CID’s notice to Karunakar Reddy has heightened political tensions in Andhra Pradesh. The ruling NDA alliance of the TDP, BJP and Jana Sena has criticised the earlier board, alleging it shielded the accused and compromised the sanctity of the temple’s financial processes.

Karunakar Reddy, now a senior YSRCP leader, has strongly denied the allegations. He has urged the government to transfer the case to the CBI, calling the CID investigation politically motivated. He maintains that his board acted lawfully, caught the offender, and recovered assets through a transparent board-approved decision.

The investigation is expected to intensify in the coming days as the CID continues examining the roles of former officials involved in the Parakamani operations.