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Siddhivinayak racket: FIR against 3, trust promises hassle-free darshan
Updated On: 07 December, 2023 06:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva Agashe
Following this paper’s sting on special darshan racket, Prabhadevi temple trust approaches police for clean-up act
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A crowd of devotees gathered outside the Siddhivinayak temple. File pic/Sameer Markande
The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple Trust has filed an FIR against three unknown people for allegedly duping the trust by collecting large sums of money to allow people in for ‘VVIP darshan’ at the temple. The FIR followed mid-day’s exposé regarding the ‘VVIP darshan’ scam wherein flower stall owners and trust employees were hand in glove. Following the FIR, a notice will be served to 12 employees and other staff as well. Also, taking cognisance of the report, the trust has taken steps to ensure hassle-free darshan for devotees, including a reshuffle of the staff and measures to put an end to the tout nexus.
On October 3, three correspondents of mid-day carried out a sting operation at the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi. The sting exposed the racket run by flower shop owners with the help of temple employees, wherein devotees who shelled out Rs 3,000 were allowed in without having to wait in the queue. The mid-day team paid the amount at a stall owner and were ushered in by an employee directly to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple for a VVIP darshan, without having to wait in any queue. However, no receipt was provided for the amount paid, which established that it wasn’t a legitimate fee, but was usurped by the stall owners and temple trust employees. The stall owners also claimed they facilitate the darshan whenever there is a crowd, confirming that the racket is active throughout the year.
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