Petition against ban on auction of Tulja Bhavani donation boxes dismissed

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay HC has dismissed a petition challenging the ban on the auction of the six Sinhasan Petis of the Tulja Bhavani temple in Marathwada.

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay HC has dismissed a petition challenging the ban on the auction of the six Sinhasan Petis (donation-boxes) of the Tulja Bhavani temple in Marathwada.

Osmanabad collector Praveen Gedam,who is also chairman of the Shree Tulja Bhavani Temple Trust (STBTT),and Latur Joint Charity Commissioner Sunil Kotwal had ordered the ban in April.

Bidders,Bapu Sonaji and Vijay Gangane,had got the contract for Rs 2.3 crore to auction donation boxes for 2009-10. They deposited Rs 92 lakh of the amount with the trust. However,president of the Tuljapur Temple Priests Association,Kishor Gangane,alleged misappropriation in the auction.

An inquiry was ordered after which the Tuljapur tehsildar sealed the boxes from March 18-April 18 during which donations to the tune of Rs 22 lakh in cash,443 grams of gold and five kgs of silver were received. According to the audit of the STBTT,which manages the temple,the temple had received only 40 grams of gold as donation in 10 years,much less than what it received in a month. This had led to the ban,which was challenged by Sonaji.

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