After a two-day search at the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, the long-sealed ‘Toshkhana’ has revealed only a few items, reigniting demands for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the management of the temple’s assets.
The room, which had remained locked since 1971, was resealed after the search concluded peacefully on Sunday.
Findings from the Toshkhana:
- Four ceremonial ‘chhadi’ (sticks), one believed to be gold and three of silver
- Around half a dozen precious stones
- Wooden structures and utensils
- A safe and a few miscellaneous items
- Empty boxes suggesting possible discrepancies in asset management
Goswami community representative demands probe
Dinesh Goswami, present during the operation, highlighted concerns over misappropriation of temple assets over decades.
“The khazana of the deity has been misappropriated in a planned and phased manner over decades. There should be a CBI probe to uncover the truth about why this room remained closed since 1971,” he said, noting that the identities of those involved are widely known.
Petitioners and other representatives have also questioned the outcome of the search, pointing out that despite Supreme Court supervision, no substantial treasures were recovered, leaving key questions about the temple’s holdings unresolved.
