Government Bank Official Arrested For Stealing Donations From Vrindavan’s Banke Bihari Temple, Rs 9 Lakh Recovered

A government bank official was arrested on Saturday (5 April) evening for allegedly stealing cash offerings from the Thakur Banke Bihari Maharaj temple in Vrindavan. The accused, Abhinav Saxena, is an employee of Canara Bank, posted at its Dampier Nagar branch in Mathura.

Indian Express reported that according to Vrindavan police, Saxena confessed to having stolen donation money over three days. The police said they recovered more than Rs 9 lakh from him.

The bank has since suspended the official and initiated a departmental inquiry. Saxena had previously worked at Canara Bank’s Vrindavan branch for four years, from 2020.

The theft came to light during the routine counting of offerings made by devotees in 16 daan patras (donation boxes) placed throughout the temple complex.

Temple officials said the cash is typically counted once or twice a month and then deposited in the trust’s bank accounts. As per procedure, letters are sent to associated banks requesting two employees for assistance with counting.

Jagmohan, an office-bearer of the temple managing committee, said, “We sent the letter to the Canara Bank branch at Vidyapeeth Crossing in Vrindavan four days ago, and the bank sent Abhinav and another employee for the job. On Saturday evening, a trust employee who monitors the live CCTV footage spotted Abhinav stealing cash while counting the notes and informed us.”

Upon confrontation, temple staff found Rs 1.26 lakh concealed in Saxena’s clothing. A further Rs 8 lakh was later recovered from his bag at the bank in Mathura.

Police revealed that Saxena hails from Rampur and married his wife, a chartered accountant, last year. “We are investigating further to rule out the possibility of others being involved in the theft,” added the police.

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