AP High Court Halts Lok Adalat Acquittal in Tirumala Temple Theft Case, Orders CID Seizure

HYDERABAD – In a significant assertion of its supervisory jurisdiction, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has intervened in a case concerning an alleged scam in the handling of offerings at the revered Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. Setting aside a Lok Adalat order that acquitted an accused employee, the High Court has ordered a comprehensive seizure of all related records by the Crime Investigation Department (CID), signaling deep concerns over the procedural propriety and the compounding of serious criminal offences.

The ruling by Justice Gannamaneni Ramakrishna Prasad on a public interest writ petition has effectively paused the acquittal of Sri C.V. Ravi Kumar, an individual implicated in the theft of temple funds, and has placed the actions of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the local police, and the Lok Adalat under judicial scrutiny.

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Background of the Alleged 'Parakamani' Scam

The case originates from alleged irregularities within the 'Parakamani' process—the traditional, high-security system for counting and accounting for the vast cash, gold, and other precious offerings made by millions of devotees in the temple's 'Hundi'.

In 2023, a complaint filed by Y. Satish Kumar, an Assistant Vigilance & Security Officer of the TTD, led to the registration of an FIR (No. 24/2023) at the Town-I Tirumala Police Station. A subsequent charge-sheet implicated Sri C.V. Ravi Kumar, accusing him of offences under Sections 379 (Theft) and 381 (Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

However, in a surprising turn of events, the case was brought before a Lok Adalat Bench in Tirupati. In Lok Adalat Case No. 582 of 2023, the matter was summarily concluded. The proceedings noted that the de-facto complainant—the TTD vigilance officer—had voluntarily compounded the offences, leading to the acquittal of the accused on September 9, 2023. This resolution, particularly for a matter involving a public religious institution of immense stature, prompted the filing of a writ petition (W.P. No. 1294/2025) by M. Sreenivasulu, who sought a CID probe into the entire affair.

High Court's Intervention: Questioning the Legality of Compounding

The petitioner successfully drew the High Court's attention to the questionable legal basis of the Lok Adalat's decision. The central legal issue is the compounding of the charged offences. While Section 379 of the IPC is compoundable by the owner of the stolen property with the court's permission under Section 320 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Section 381 is explicitly listed as a non-compoundable offence .

Theft by a servant or clerk (Sec. 381) is considered a more aggravated form of theft due to the breach of trust involved. The legislative intent behind making it non-compoundable is to ensure that such breaches of fiduciary duty are not settled privately but are prosecuted by the state to maintain public confidence and deter such misconduct.

The Lok Adalat's decision to permit the compounding of an offence under Section 381, therefore, appears to be an error of jurisdiction. Justice Prasad, recognizing the gravity of this procedural lapse and the significant public interest at stake, issued an immediate order.

"Having regard to the above facts, in public interest, this Court deems it appropriate to firstly suspend the Order of the Lok Adalat at Tirupati dated 09.09.2023 in Lok Adalat Case No.582 of 2023...until further Orders,” the Court held, effectively nullifying the acquittal pending a full review.

Sweeping Directives for a CID Seizure

To ensure a thorough and untainted investigation, the High Court issued an expansive directive to the state's premier investigation agency. Justice Prasad ordered:

“The IG, CB-CID, is directed to forthwith seize the entire record relating to F.I.R.No.24/2023 registered in Town-I Tirumala Police Station including the Proceedings before the Lok Adalat in Lok Adalat Case No.582 of 2023. The said Officer is also directed to seize the entire record from the TTD relating to the Board Resolutions, if any, and any other Proceeding made by any Official of the TTD and submit the same to the Court (properly sealed) for perusal before the next date of hearing...”

This order is notable for its breadth. It is not limited to the police case diary and the Lok Adalat's file but extends to the internal records of the TTD itself, including potentially sensitive board resolutions. This suggests the High Court is keen to examine the entire chain of events, from the initial complaint and investigation to the internal administrative decisions that may have facilitated the compounding of the case.

Legal and Institutional Implications

The High Court's order carries profound implications for several aspects of the justice system:

1. Jurisdiction of Lok Adalats: This case serves as a stark reminder of the jurisdictional limits of Lok Adalats. While established to promote speedy justice through compromise, they cannot adjudicate on non-compoundable offences. The order reinforces the principle that efficiency cannot come at the cost of statutory legality, and the High Court will exercise its powers of superintendence to correct such fundamental errors.

2. Public Interest and Institutional Integrity: The offerings at Tirumala are considered the property of the deity, held in trust by the TTD for religious and charitable purposes. The Court’s intervention underscores that an alleged theft from such an institution is not a private dispute between an employee and an employer (represented by a vigilance officer) but an offence against the public and the devotee community. The "owner" of the property, for the purpose of compounding, is not a single official but the institution itself, representing the deity and the public trust.

3. Role of Prosecutorial and Institutional Discretion: The case raises questions about why the prosecution and the TTD management agreed to a settlement in the Lok Adalat for a non-compoundable offence. The CID investigation, spurred by the court's seizure order, will likely delve into the decision-making process that led to this outcome, examining whether it was a result of a mere oversight or a deliberate attempt to conclude the matter quietly.

The matter is scheduled for its next hearing on October 13, 2025, by which time the CID is expected to have submitted the sealed records to the court. The legal community will be watching closely as the High Court scrutinizes these documents, with its eventual findings poised to set an important precedent on the finality of Lok Adalat awards and the judiciary's role in safeguarding public and institutional trust.