SEKAR REPORTER

Court News from Madras High Court

ILLEGAL/BIGUS WEBSITES IN NAME OF TEMPLES- WRIT PETITION BEFORE MADURAI BENCH MADRAS HIGH COURT Writ Petition came up for admission before the Hon’ble Division Bench Mr.Justice R.Mahadevan and Mr.Justice J.Sathya Narayana Prasad.

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ILLEGAL/BIGUS WEBSITES IN NAME OF TEMPLES- WRIT PETITION

BEFORE MADURAI BENCH MADRAS HIGH COURT

Writ Petition came up for admission before the Hon’ble Division Bench Mr.Justice R.Mahadevan and Mr.Justice J.Sathya Narayana Prasad. The Hon’ble Court took a serious view on the issue as funds are being illegally collected in the name of the temples by third parties. Mr.M.Karthikeyan appeared and argued the case on behalf of the Petitioner. Additional Advocate General appeared on behalf of the Government.

  1. Donations to temples are generally given made through hundials. Accounting of hundial is made by “The Installation, Safeguarding and Accounting of

Hundials Rules, 1975”.

  1. Money coming to temples are audited and accounted as per HR&CE

Act.

  1. Advent of technology has led to creation of numerous websites in the name of the temples.
  2. These websites are created without any authorization from the HR&CE

Department or from the Trustees. They are created by third parties.

  1. Number of fake/bogus websites created in name of famous temples

throughout the state.

  1. These websites look like official websites as they provide all relevant information. However, they provide fake numbers, account details to collect donations.
  2. These websites mislead the public who want to make donations in name temple. Devotees are directed to the fake websites and make donations which goes to third parties and not the temple.
  3. Donations have faith and values of the devotees. They should go only to the deity and the temple and not be misused by these third parties. However, the illegal and bogus websites created in name of the temple misuse the faith of devotees and divert the funds to themselves.
  4. The donations collected by these illegal/bogus websites runs to crores. This has been left unchecked all these years by the HR&CE Department.
  5. Prayer sought to shut down these bogus websites and take criminal action against the admins and recover the money from them.

DIRECTIONS GIVEN BY THE HON’BLE DIVISION BENCH

  1. No individual can collect money in name of the temple/deity.
  2. Temple is a place for spiritual development and not business.
  3. Advised HR&CE officials to take action against the illegal websites and not be restrained by anyone.
  4. Government/HR&CE Department is to file report with regard to action taken to shut down the illegal/bogus websites.
  5. Necessary authorities including ADGP, Cyber Crime Wing were directed to be impleaded so as to take immediate action to shut down and close the illegal websites.

 

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