CHENNAI: Observing that online crowdfunding is not a healthy way to collect money to renovate temples, the Madras High Court on Monday directed YouTuber Karthick Gopinath to deposit before the trial court Rs 30.77 lakh he collected through Milaap digital crowdfunding app for renovation works of Siruvachur Madhurakaliyamman temple.

Justice PD Audikesavalu passed the direction on hearing the petition filed by YouTuber Karthick Gopinath who sought a direction to the HR&CE to accept the fund collected through the Milaap app from 2,000 people.

However, the judge observed that the amount should be safeguarded first by depositing it before the criminal court where the original case is undergoing. Advocate General R Shunmugasundram submitted that the HR&CE had already written to Karthick Gopinath and Milaap to deposit the amount before the trial court.

“Since the government has completed about 85 per cent of the renovation works of the Madurakaliyamman temple, the HR&CE did not want the fund from the petitioner,” the AG submitted. Recording the submissions, the judge observed that it is not a healthy way of collecting funds, either by the government or by the petitioner. “Though the online system is helpful in several cases, it also possesses safety risks,” the judge observed. The court questioned what could be done when someone is collecting the money under the guise of renovating the temples and not disclosing the same.

The court categorically directed the petitioner and Milaap to deposit the fund before the trial court, before submitting arguments. The judge also directed the registry to list the matter before the division bench which has been hearing matters related to the temples and HR&CE.