Periyapatna: A fake donation receipt scam at the famous Masanikamma Temple in the taluk has been unearthed with the taluk Tahsildar confiscating fake receipt books on Monday.

Following the discovering of fake receipt books, Tahsildar Shwetha N. Ravindra convened a meeting of the Temple Renovation Committee at the Taluk Office, during which she ordered to give information on the money collected using fake receipts.

She also warned of lodging a Police complaint if the Committee failed to submit details of the amount collected, following which the Committee President S.R.S. Gowda and Secretary Kantharaju agreed to disclose the donations collected. The Taluk Administration had sent a proposal to the Government on renovating the Temple. After getting sanction from the Govt., a Committee, headed by S.R.S. Gowda, was constituted to execute the works.

The Taluk Administration, with an intention of collecting donation from the devotees, had issued 13 receipt books having the seal and signature of the Tahsildar. But later on, the Taluk Administration began to receive complaints on the misuse of receipt books, following which the Tahsildar visited the Temple and confiscated fake receipt books. On enquiry, it was found that the Committee was using fake receipt books, which also had fake seal and sign of the Tahsildar, after all the 13 receipt books issued by the Tahsildar’s office were exhausted as donations began to pour in.

Tahsildar Shwetha said that her office had issued 13 receipt books. But following complaints on fake receipts, she visited the Temple and discovered a dubious receipt book bearing serial no. 21 which she confiscated after it was found to be a fake one.

She further said that the Committee Members have admitted to collecting funds using fake receipts and the Committee has been asked to submit details of the funds collected so far, in a day.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Tahsildar Shwetha Ravindra said that as directed to the Committee, two members of the Committee — Shanmukha Rao and Ravi — arrived at her office for a meeting on the issue and handed over Rs.1,45,485 in cash collected so far and as well as fake receipt books and seals.

Reasoning for their action, the Committee members said that they resorted to issuing fake receipts as they wanted to recover the money they had spent personally for the Temple renovation.

But the Tahsildar, not agreeing with the Committee members, said that issuance of fake receipts stamped with the Tahsildar’s sign is a crime and there can be no compromise as such.

When the members of the public demanded immediate action against the wrong doers, Shwetha said that a notice has been served to all members of the Committee and action will be initiated against those found guilty.

Periyapatna Taluk Panchayat Members Ramu, Devaraj, Mahesh, Subramani and others attended the meeting.