Fake Temple Entry Passes Discovered at Alandi; Dharamshala Manager Booked

Police in Alandi have registered a case against the manager of a dharamshala for issuing fake entry passes to the famous Mauli temple, using forged signatures during a major festival.

ALANDI, PUNE, 17 November 2025 – A case of issuing fake temple entry passes for devotees visiting the revered Sant Dnyaneshwar Mauli temple has been exposed in Alandi, leading to legal action against the manager of a local dharamshala. According to police, the accused was allegedly creating counterfeit passes with forged signatures and selling them to visitors during the peak pilgrimage period, misleading people into believing the passes were officially approved.

The incident came to light when temple authorities and security staff noticed irregularities in the passes being presented at the entry point. The formatting, seal placement and signatures did not match the official temple-issued permits. An internal check confirmed that the passes were fake and had not been printed or authorised by the temple administration. Following a complaint, Alandi Police conducted a preliminary inquiry and found that the passes were being circulated from a dharamshala located near the temple.

The accused has been identified as the manager of the facility, who allegedly designed duplicate passes using scanned signatures of trustees. These fake passes were reportedly sold to devotees who were eager to skip long queues or believed they needed mandatory entry permission. Police suspect that many out-of-town pilgrims, unaware of normal procedures, were targeted and charged money for the fake documents.

A case has now been registered under sections related to cheating, forgery and using forged documents. Investigators are also looking into whether more people were involved or if similar rackets have been operating during crowded festival days in the past. The police have seized samples of the counterfeit passes along with digital evidence from the dharamshala’s office.

Temple authorities have publicly appealed to devotees not to fall for such scams and clarified that official passes are available only through authorised channels and at no extra cost. They have also tightened checks and deployed additional volunteers and security guards to verify documents at the entry gate.

Locals and long-time devotees expressed anger over the incident, saying that misuse of faith and attempts to profit from religion must be dealt with strictly. The exposure of the racket has also caused concern among travellers planning to visit Alandi during the winter pilgrimage season, when lakhs arrive from across Maharashtra.

Police investigations are ongoing and officers say more arrests are likely if the accused reveals additional links. The dharamshala itself may face licensing action if it is found to have knowingly allowed fraud on its premises. Authorities have urged visitors to verify details with temple staff and report any suspicious offers immediately.

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