The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) paid a penalty of Rs 3 crore imposed on it by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for allegedly violating norms of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) in receiving foreign contributions through the temple ‘hundi’ and utilizing the same.
The MHA had slapped a fine of Rs 10 crore on TTD. However, following negotiations between the FCRA regulating body and the temple Trust, the final amount was fixed at Rs 3 crore. TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy told media, “We have informed the ministry that the TTD does not have any window to attract, receive or seek foreign contributions other than the hundi where voluntary contributions are made.”
“There were some discrepancies in converting foreign contributions into Indian currency, besides deviation in spending the same for which certain rules and regulations are prescribed. Though the amount spent was meager, the MHA objected to the manner in which the foreign contributions were spent,” TTD chairman added.
