"Wont' Allow Theft": Supreme Court On Banke Bihari Temple Donations Being Siphoned

The Supreme Court has ordered that all money offered by devotees at the Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan must go straight into the temple's donation boxes or its online treasury.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was hearing a batch of pleas filed by the management committee of the Thakur Shree Bankey Bihari ji Maharaj Temple.

Senior Advocate Maninder Singh placed on record a status report prepared by the high-powered committee that was appointed by court to oversee the temple's day-to-day functioning. Singh told the bench that the issues flagged in the report were serious and needed urgent attention.

Court was further told that a video showed three men stationed at the Golak — the traditional donation box kept for devotees — collecting cash from visitors as they came forward and dropping it into plastic bags of their own, instead of allowing it to go into the box.

Taking a serious view of the submission, the bench directed that "every penny of donation must come to the donation boxes or online temple treasury". It warned "Let there be no doubts and we accordingly direct that every penny of donation must come to the donation boxes or online temple treasury and any impediment created by 'sevayats' or anyone else shall be viewed very seriously. The management committee to introduce transparent mechanism for the temple treasury."

In May, The Supreme Court had directed the court appointed committee managing the Banke Bihari temple to consider the suggestions made by the trustees/sewa adhikari Goswamis of the temple.

A CJI Surya Kant led bench allowed the nomination of two members each from the two groups of Goswamis- Shayan Bhog and Raj Bhog- and allowed them to give suggestions to the committee. "We are of the view that among the two groups of Goswamis, namely Shayan Bhog and Raj Bhog, Rajat Goswami and Shailendra Goswami from one group, and Gopesh Goswami and Himanshu Goswami from the Raj Bhog group, should be nominated to the committee. All of them shall jointly give suggestions for improvement and continuity in the religious practices and day-to-day functioning of the temple," the bench ordered

Court has further ordered that the State Government must also come forward for development of social and civic facilities in and around the temple campus. "These facilities will necessarily require acquisition of land for widening of roads, regulation of commercial activity in and around the temple, and provision of facilities for devotees as well as basic amenities for residents. That would include hotels, dharamshalas, drinking water facilities, restrooms, separate facilities for women and children, emergency exits, public transport facilities, and electric vehicles for senior citizens, ailing persons, women and children. A specific development plan for the entire area should be prepared," the bench had added.

The Management Committee of Thakur Shree Bankey Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple approached the Supreme Court raising certain issues pertaining to the working of the temple. Court was earlier told that old that traditional Dehri Pujan had also been stopped. "...which is an age old tradition between guru and shishya has been discontinued..this ought not to be the situation...", Senior Advocate Shyam Divan had told court.

Supreme Court has also been hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Shri Bankey Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025, which seeks to regulate temple management and development in Vrindavan. The petitioners have also sought to restrain the state government from using temple funds for the proposed Corridor project.

Earlier, Supreme Court had paved way for the state government scheme to develop the Shri Banke Bihari Temple corridor. The Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma had allowed the Uttar Pradesh government’s plea to utilise the funds of Shri Banke Bihari Temple only for the purchase of 5-acre land around the temple to create a holding area.

In 2023, the Allahabad High Court had also approved the Uttar Pradesh Government's proposal for the Vrindavan (Mathura) Banke Bihari Temple Corridor, citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. The court had instructed the removal of encroachments around the temple. However, it restrained the use of Rs 262.50 Crores from the Deity's bank account for corridor construction. Although, High Court had stated that the Deity's funds in the bank are off-limits for corridor construction. The court emphasized the government's use of its own funds for secular activities.

The proposed development scheme aims to acquire 5 acres for temple facilitation, ensuring no interference with Goswamis' rights. The PIL addressed public order management around the Banke Bihari Temple, highlighting disputes among Goswamis and safety concerns due to the lack of temple management. An intervention application by shopkeepers and residents also opposed the expansion near the sacred 'Kunj Galis.'

Case Title: Management Committee of Thakur Shree Bankey Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple and ANR Vs State of UP and ORS

Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi and Justice Mohana

Hearing Date: August 25, 2026