Fund misappropriation alleged

NEWDELHI: The Delhi Police on Friday registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy in the case of alleged misappropriation of funds at the Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir society. Police said that the temple committee has raised suspicion over former members for misappropriating gold and silver jewellery and cash up to ₹3-4 crore.

The additional commissioner of police (economic offences wing), OP Mishra, said they had received a complaint from the society members and after a preliminary enquiry, have registered an FIR under IPC sections 420 and 406 and 120B.

“In its complaint, the committee has alleged misappropriation of jewellery and cash worth around ₹3-4 crore. We are looking into the allegations,” Mishra said.

Police said that the complaint was registered after the committee came across a valuation certificate from 2013, issued by a jeweller in CR Park, in which it was mentioned that some gold jewellery was melted.

“On this, when the committee members contacted the jeweller, he denied having melted it. The jeweller, however, said that he had weighed a gold bar and checked its purity for five of the then committee members,” a police officer said.

The officer said that the current members said they also sought an explanation from the five former members, but did not give any clarity.

Ashitava Bhowmik, president of the Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir society, alleged that the jewellery was melted by a jeweller who could not be traced later.