Daijiworld Media Network - Sullia (SP)

Sullia, Jan 22: Nagaraj, an official of the state department of religious endowments, was caught on Wednesday January 21, when he was stashing away some currency notes of Rs 1,000 and 500 denominations into his pockets while the counting of the collections in donation boxes of Subrahmanya temple was in progress. He was later handed over to the police. The department has ordered for his suspension.

The money collected in donation boxes of the temple is counted once in a month by the temple governing council, temple and bank employees and local students under the supervision of the temple executive officer and in the presence of the religious endowments department officials. 

As Wednesday was Ekadashi day as per the Hindu calendar, the counting started in the upper floor of the temple kitchen. Nagaraj, working as superintendent in the office of the religious endowments assistant commissioner's office, Mangalore was deputed for being present during the counting work.

In the morning, a student was caught while trying to steal a hundred rupee note.  Some of the students involved with counting work later told the security staff, that Nagaraj who was moving around the counting hall, collected a few Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes from the students and transferred the notes to his pockets.  The security staff thereafter kept vigil on the official’s movements and caught him in the act at around 3.30 pm, found Rs 4,500 in his pocket and complained to the temple executive officer.

It is said that the officer put back the money in his pocket into the collection pool as soon as his act was detected and the security staff caught him.