Siddhivinayak Temple Appoints New Executive Officer

Mumbai's Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust has appointed Rakhi Chavan as its new Executive Officer, effective Thursday, August 13.

The appointment comes as the temple faces allegations of irregularities in handling devotees' donations, with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray claiming around Rs 18 crore is being misappropriated annually.

Chavan's appointment follows the government's decision to replace Veena More-Patil, who faced allegations related to the temple trust's administration. The government is also set to appoint an Executive Secretary from ministerial departments.

The controversy surrounding donations has led to a probe ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directing an inquiry into the temple's donations and accounts.

In a separate incident, a temple employee was arrested in March for allegedly stealing cash from donation boxes, with estimated losses of around Rs 10,000.

Meanwhile, the temple trust has announced the temporary closure of its Siddhi entrance from August 17 for beautification and redevelopment work, with devotees allowed to enter through the Riddhi entrance for darshan.

The beautification project was inaugurated on May 25 in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other dignitaries.

The trust has appealed to devotees to cooperate with the arrangements during the project period.

The new appointment and ongoing probe aim to address concerns over the temple's administration and donation handling.

The developments are significant for the temple, one of Mumbai's most revered sites, and its devotees, who expect transparency and accountability in the management of their donations.

The controversy has sparked a political slugfest, with Trust Chief Sada Sarvankar alleging links between the accused and Shiv Sena UBT.

The government's actions and the temple trust's efforts to address the issues will be closely watched by devotees and the public alike.