NCP (Sharad Pawar) Youth Vice-President Purushottam Kadlag among main accused
- This case once again exposes the dangers of government control over temples, which are often run by corrupt politicians and their associates who exploit devotees for personal greed.
- Hindus must unite and demand that temples be handed back to devotees so that the sanctity of these sacred places can be restored. – Editor, HJS
Nashik, Maharashtra – Police have arrested a trustee of the Shri Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust and others in connection with a racket involving illegal “quick darshan” at the historic Jyotirlinga temple, where devotees were charged exorbitant fees for expedited entry.
नासिक के त्र्यंबकेश्वर मंदिर में ‘VIP दर्शन’ के नाम पर काला खेल चल रहा है. यहां आरोप है कि यहां कई एजेंट सक्रिय हैं जो तुरंत दर्शन कराने के नाम पर हजारों रुपयों की वसूली कर रहे थे. एनडीटीवी को पता चला है कि यहां ट्रस्ट की फीस 200 रुपये है,लेकिन श्रद्धालुओं से 3000 रुपये लेकर ठगी… pic.twitter.com/c3jxE9IVel
— NDTV India (@ndtvindia) April 14, 2026
Purushottam Kadlag, a trustee of the Shri Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust and State Youth Vice-President of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), has been arrested in connection with the illegal darshan racket. Others arrested in the case include Gotiram Manaji Pehre and Kadlag’s two nephews — Abhishek Kadlag and Om Kadlag.
FIR filed, racket exposed
On April 11, devotee Ananta Mehendale from Panchavati, Nashik, along with friends, lodged a complaint after agents lured them with a promise of darshan within 10 minutes and allegedly extorted ₹3,000. While the temple trust offers an official VIP darshan facility for around ₹200, agents were reportedly charging devotees between ₹2,000 and ₹12,000 without issuing receipts or following proper procedures. There is no official “paid quick darshan” service beyond the standard pass.
The racket allegedly involved agents approaching devotees, coordinating with the accused, and facilitating entry — often through a separate gate — by misusing trustee authority and registering fake or improper references, bypassing strict temple security rules that require recorded approvals.
There are strict rules for the entry of VIPs at the Trimbakeshwar temple. Security personnel do not allow direct entry to anyone. Permission from trustees or telephonic approval is required. It is mandatory to record the devotee’s name and the authority under whose reference entry was granted in a register. Despite this, the accused managed to take people directly inside the temple.
Police action and sting operation
Nashik Rural Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil stated that the police acted on complaints and directions from the temple committee chairman and the court. A sting operation was conducted to document the exploitation, revealing how 100–150 devotees were allegedly being facilitated daily by collecting ₹3,000 or more per person.
Public and political responses
Trimbakeshwar, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, attracts large numbers of pilgrims. The incident has drawn criticism over corruption and exploitation of devotees.
BJP Spiritual Wing head Tushar Bhosale claimed, “Such corruption in the temple is a result of atheistic-minded workers nurtured by Sharad Pawar!”
Former trustee Lalita Shinde alleged that the trustee selection process itself involved financial transactions, with some paying crores to secure positions.
The police have emphasized that the focus is on uncovering the full network rather than just the amounts involved. Further investigation is ongoing to determine the scale and duration of the racket.