TTD employee held in missing gold case

Tirumala, Dec 14 (UNI) The Crime Branch police have arrested a TTD employee in connection with the missing of 300 gold coins from the Venkateswara temple here.

Clerk Venkatachalapathi, who was working in the coins issuing counter at the temple, confessed to the crime last night, crime Circle Inspector Eswar Reddy told UNI today.

During interrogation, he revealed that the cash obtained from selling the coins to devotees was not credited to the accounts.

The money was used for his personal benefits, the officer said.

The accused was later sent into remand.

The management had earlier suspended Venkatachalapathi as a precautionary measure and ordered departmental inquiry by Chief Vigilance and Security Officer Hari Kumar.

Later, the case was handed over to Crime Branch police for further investigation.

The arrest was made while the TTD was planning to handover the case to state CID, considering its importance.

UNI KNR JJ SY ND1836