The Andhra Pradesh High Court, on January 6, 2026, ordered the registration of criminal cases against police officers found to be involved in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Parakamani theft case. The court directed the Crime Investigation Department (CID) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to proceed with a full-fledged investigation and initiate departmental action wherever required.
The court made it clear that the CID report revealed serious lapses and collusion, observing that certain police officials had joined hands with the accused. It held that these findings warranted criminal prosecution as well as internal disciplinary action without delay.
During the hearing, the court questioned TTD officials on the procedures followed for counting donations at the Tirumala Parakamani. It pointed out that the report submitted by TTD failed to mention any alternative to the controversial practice of using lungis for counting cash. The court also noted the absence of details regarding table arrangements during the counting process, describing it as a major procedural gap. The TTD counsel informed the court that the matter would be discussed with the Executive Officer and that detailed instructions would be placed before it.
Following the court’s directions, AP CID officials seized all key documents related to the Parakamani dollar theft that occurred during the previous Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy government. The CID team examined files for nearly five hours at the TTD administrative building. CID Director General Dr Ravishankar Ayyannar confirmed that the seizures were carried out strictly in accordance with High Court orders. Files from Tirumala One Town Police Station and the Lok Adalat proceedings were also collected and will be submitted to the court.
The investigation continued on Tuesday with the questioning of CI Chandrasekhar, who was serving as Tirumala Second Town Police Station Inspector when the case was originally registered. CID officials examined documents and CCTV footage related to the theft. After inspecting the Parakamani premises, Dr Ayyannar met TTD security officials at the police guest house and reviewed security protocols in detail.
The theft took place in March 2023 at the Srivari Temple Parakamani, where TTD employee Ravi Kumar was caught stealing 920 US dollars. A Public Interest Litigation was later filed, alleging that TTD had deliberately avoided a comprehensive investigation. Serious allegations surfaced that the case was closed through a compromise in the Lok Adalat under political pressure.
Following the Lok Adalat settlement, Ravi Kumar donated assets worth ₹14 crore to TTD, a move that raised further suspicion and became a key focus of the renewed probe. The court’s latest orders have reopened the case, allowing the CID and ACB to expand the scope of the investigation into all related financial and administrative irregularities.
TTD Board member Bhanuprakash Reddy submitted evidence in his possession to CID DG Dr Ayyannar. Speaking to the media afterwards, he asserted that the Parakamani scam was far bigger than initially portrayed and accused the previous government of shielding those involved. He stated that the investigation would expose who shared assets with the accused and termed the court’s intervention a “victory for the devotees of Lord Venkateswara.”
The court also took note of videos related to the Parakamani cash theft that went viral recently. It recalled that a former TTD SVO, a key figure in the case, died under suspicious circumstances while appearing for questioning. Police have registered a separate case and are investigating the death.
The matter has been adjourned to January 8 for further hearing, with the court permitting the CID and ACB to continue broadening the investigation until then.
