Kochi: The Guruvayur Devaswom Board informed the High Court that the money from two temples under the Devaswom Board is deposited with cooperative banks. Cooperative banks in Kerala are facing the heat after reports of allegations of fraud and losing of depositors’ money came out.
The board also informed the HC, through its counsel, that 60 per cent of money of Guruvayur Devaswom Board is deposited in nationalized banks and rest is held at scheduled banks and in banks that are under the control of the Reserve Bank of India.
The money of two Keezhedam temples is held with cooperative banks. The Board said that the reason for depositing this money in cooperative banks is because these areas do not have other banks. The money is deposited at Perakkam and Erumayoor cooperative banks.
The Board was responding to plea filed by a Thiruvananthapuram resident, Dr. Mahendra Kumar. He approached the High Court with the plea after reports came out about the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam. The plea also requests that the Devaswom money must be deposited in nationalized banks only. The audit report must also be published, requested the plea.
Another request made in the plea is that the land belonging to the Guruvayur Devaswom Board must be surveyed. The Division Bench comprising Justices Anil K Narendran and Sofi Thomas are considering the plea.
Earlier, the High Court of Kerala had ordered the Guruvayur Devaswom Board to file an affidavit before next Wednesday detailing the places where the Board has deposited the money of Guruvayur Temple.
BJP State President, K Surendran, said that the devotees have the right to know where all the Devaswom Board is investing the money, which belongs to the Lord.
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