'₹18 Crore Stolen Every Year' At Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple: Raj Thackeray's Donation Theft Claim

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray alleged that around ₹18 crore in devotees' donations was siphoned off every year from Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple, claiming corruption had reached places of worship. Addressing a gathering, he also referred to the alleged donation theft controversy linked to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, alleging that ₹1,400 crore had been stolen there and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the issue. Thackeray claimed a letter from eight Siddhivinayak Temple trustees showed employees were caught stealing donation box collections, after which weekly donations reportedly rose from under ₹50 lakh to nearly ₹1.5 crore. Responding to the allegations, Siddhivinayak Temple Trust chairman Sada Sarvankar confirmed nine employees had been arrested but said the rise in donations also reflected improved trust measures.