Patna: A majority of the properties of mutts, temples and trusts in Bihar are controlled by criminals, a top official says.
Kishore Kunal, the newly appointed administrator of the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT), said of the 2,800 registered mutts, temples and trusts, nearly 90 percent were "directly or indirectly under the control of bahubalis (criminal politicians) and criminals.
"They have been illegally occupying the properties for many years," Kunal, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, said.
A case in point is the Ram Janki Mandir at Madhopur in Gopalganj district.
Heading the temple property is Mahant Bhikhari Singh, who has been charged with murder, kidnapping and theft of uranium.
Similarly, Mahant Guru Goswami of Dhanuti Mutt in Siwan district and Harikishan Das, the mahant of the Udasin Sangat mutt at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district, have been jailed for murder.
Kunal said that even the Janaki Sthan Mandir in Sitamarhi district - considered to be the birthplace of goddess Sita - was rented out.
Only 10 percent of mutts, temples and trusts disclose their incomes, he said.
In some cases the bahubalis have sold off the properties. "We have already sent notices to some people," said Kunal, who wants to drive away criminals from all religious places.
"We have been preparing a list of irregularities, corruption and illegal control of such property and sending notices to the people," he said.
Police say many mahants have hired criminals to keep costly property under their control.
In some cases, disputes have turned bloody.
Among the first to get a notice from the board is Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Raghunath Jha's son - who built a petrol pump on land allegedly owned by the Kabirpanthi mutt.
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