Raj Thackeray Alleges ₹18 Crore Annual Donation Scam at Siddhivinayak Temple

Mumbai, Aug 2026 : Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray has alleged that around ₹18 crore in donations was being siphoned off annually from Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple and claimed that ₹1,400 crore had also been stolen from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Addressing an event organised by the MNS student wing on Saturday, Thackeray alleged that corruption had reached places of worship and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the issue.

“Frustrated youths visit temples, but even temples are not safe from corruption,” Thackeray said, while referring to alleged irregularities in the management of temple donations.

Citing a letter reportedly submitted by eight trustees of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray claimed that weekly donations before the alleged irregularities came to light were below ₹50 lakh. He said collections subsequently increased to around ₹1.5 crore a week.

“Every year, Rs 18 crore was being stolen,” Thackeray alleged, without providing further details of the calculation behind the claim.

Responding to the allegations, Siddhivinayak Temple Trust chairman and Shiv Sena leader Sada Sarvankar said nine temple employees had already been arrested in connection with the alleged theft of donations.

“We have filed cases wherever required,” Sarvankar told reporters.

He also attributed the rise in temple revenue to various measures undertaken by the trust. According to Sarvankar, the temple’s annual income increased from ₹114 crore two years ago to ₹182 crore.

Thackeray also raised allegations concerning donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, claiming that ₹1,400 crore had been stolen. Police have arrested several accused in connection with the case, while the investigation remains underway.

The allegations have brought renewed attention to financial transparency and accountability in the management of major religious institutions. While Thackeray called for greater scrutiny, temple authorities have maintained that action has been taken wherever wrongdoing was detected.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)