‘Milaap’ told to give Siruvachur temple donors list

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday directed the crowdfunding app ‘Milaap’ to file details of donors who contributed funds under the initiation of right-winger Karthik Gopinath for the purpose of renovating Siruvachur Madurakaliamman Temple in Perambalur district.

Justice PD Audikesavalu passed the direction on hearing the petition filed by Karthik Gopinath. The petitioner sought direction to the state’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to accept the amount of Rs 30 lakh which he collected from various people through Milaap for renovating the vandalised Madhurakaliyamman Temple.

When the matter was taken up for hearing, advocate NRR Natarajan representing the HR&CE submitted that since a case filed against the petitioner and the fund which was collected by him was frozen, he has no other option than approaching the magistrate court to defreeze the amount.

Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram submitted that all the renovation work has been completed in the Madhurakaliamman Temple. “The damaged idols were replaced with the new ones and there is no necessity to receive the funds from the petitioner now,” he added. The state further said that the petitioner wants to give the money to a sthapathi whom he has identified.

Recording the submissions, the judge held that if the HR&CE do not need the money, the same could be returned to the donors.

Since senior advocate Raghavachari appearing for the petitioner agreed to the judge’s observation, the court ordered Milaap app to file the donors’ details and the amounts they have given for the renovation works. The matter was posted for further hearing on November 28.