By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Jan. 18: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams executive officer, Mr I.V.R. Krishna Rao, told the Andhra Pradesh High Court that putting up the list of jewellery of Lord Venkateswara in public domain was not advisable due to security reasons.
Mr Krishna Rao filed a counter affidavit before a division bench comprising Justice Goda Raghuram and Justice Ramesh Ranganathan pursuant to its notice on a petition filed by one Mr Bejawada Govinda Reddy, a Congress leader from Nellore, seeking a direction to protect assets and properties of the TTD.
The EO told the court that the TTD had sought a report from the chief vigilance and security officer who said that putting the list of jewellery in public was not advisable. He told the court that the report was submitted to the court in a sealed cover.
Mr Krishna Rao while referring to another direction of the court to set up equipment for assaying purity, quality, weight and carratage of gold and diamond jewellery, said that steps are being taken to speed up the process of procurement and installation of lab equipment on the advise of experts.
He submitted that based on the recommendations of experts, the TTD started the process of setting up a lab by importing equipment from Belgium and once the installation is over, the experts can complete assaying and valuation of the entire jewellery of the temple in 60 days.
He added that Mahadwaram entry and other privileges are granted to certain people based on age-old customs and traditions. He submitted a list of dignitaries of various mutts for whom the TTD has granted entry from the Mahadwaram and temple honours.
The government while responding through Mr K.V. Ramana Chary, principal secretary of endowments department, told the court through an affidavit that it had appointed Dr Subhrendru Bhattacharya, member, commissioner of inquiry as the authority to investigate the charges framed against Mr R. Prabhakar Reddy, retired official and other officials and staff of the TTD.
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