Thirteen Officials Suspended For Irregularities Related To Kanaka Durga Temple Activities

VIJAYAWADA: Cracking the whip on alleged corrupt practices of the employees of the Kanaka Durga temple, the Endowments Department Special Commissioner Arjuna Rao, on Monday night issued orders for immediately suspending thirteen officials working in the temple.

Of the total 13 employees, five superintendent-level staff working in seven different departments were suspended immediately on the basis of a preliminary information report provided by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) after they conducted searches at the temple.  

As per the reports, there was large scale irregularities related to the temple land, shop lease transactions, Annadanam, sale of darshan tickets, and in the auction of the saris which are used for the goddess.

 The Temple Executive Officer Suresh Babu has issued orders to suspend the superintendents of the Annadanam, Stores and Housekeeping department, as well as the superintendent of the department overseeing the lease of temple lands and shops, and the superintendents who regularly supervise various counters on Indrakeeladri hill. The EO has suspended three people working at the Darshan ticket sales counter, as well as staff working on the distribution of prasadam, the department that auctions saris and the department that sells photos of the temple and the goddess.

It is reported that raids were conducted for three days at Kanaka Durga temple from February 18 to 20. Meanwhile, the ACB officials are preparing a detailed report of the raids and will submit the same to ACB Director General PSR Anjaneyulu soon.