Rs 18 crore donation stolen at Siddhivinayak temple: Raj Thackeray alleges

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has alleged that around Rs 18 crore in donations is siphoned off every year from Mumbai's Shree Siddhivinayak Temple, amid the controversy over alleged financial irregularities at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Addressing members of the MNS student wing, Thackeray claimed that donations worth Rs 18 crore were being systematically stolen annually from the temple, whose trust is controlled by leaders of the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, The New Indian Express reported.

He pointed out that former Shiv Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar, a close associate of Shinde, serves as chairman of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust, while leaders from the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP are among its trustees.

Thackeray further alleged that nearly Rs 1,400 crore had reportedly gone missing from the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and claimed that both the Ayodhya temple and Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple were under the control of organisations linked to the BJP and its allies. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should address the issue, warning that public faith in temples could erode if such allegations remained unanswered.

The MNS chief also referred to a letter allegedly written by eight trustees to Eknath Shinde, claiming that some temple employees were caught stealing from donation boxes after trustees maintained close vigilance.

According to Thackeray, the temple's weekly collections had remained below Rs 50 lakh before the alleged thefts were detected, but increased to around Rs 1.5 crore afterwards. He alleged that the figures indicated an annual diversion of nearly Rs 18 crore and argued that even places of worship were no longer free from corruption.

Responding to the allegations, Sada Sarvankar said police had acted against several people accused of accepting bribes for VIP darshan at the temple. He said he had personally filed complaints with the police and the Anti-Corruption Bureau, leading to a trap operation that identified those allegedly involved.

Sarvankar said 48 people had been suspended, while eight accused were remanded to three days of police custody in connection with the bribery case.

The Siddhivinayak Temple is among India's wealthiest temples and attracts lakhs of devotees every year. The temple reportedly generated Rs 182 crore in revenue during the 2025–26 financial year.