Temple money belongs to deity, cannot be used to save cooperative banks: Supreme Court

Key Points

1. Supreme Court stated temple money cannot be used to support financially distressed cooperative banks on December 5, 2025.
2. The ruling was delivered by a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
3. The case involved appeals from cooperative banks challenging a Kerala High Court direction to return deposits to the Thirunelly Temple Devaswom.
4. The Kerala High Court had directed five cooperative banks to refund the Devaswom's fixed deposits within two months.
5. The cooperative banks involved included Mananthawady Co-operative Urban Society Ltd and Thirunelly Service Cooperative Bank Ltd.
6. The Thirunelly Devaswom filed the initial plea after cooperative banks refused to repay matured fixed deposits.