Donation theft row: SIT may quiz Ram Temple trust members in Ayodhya

An SIT probing alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is set to question members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The trust is reviewing its donation management system, including banking arrangements, after lapses in security were flagged.

Ayodhya: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing embezzlement of donation money at the Ram Temple may question people associated with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya in the coming days, official sources said on Sunday.

The SIT, headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13 following allegations of misappropriation of cash and valuables donated at the temple.

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The team submitted its preliminary inquiry report to the state government on June 23, with Pant handing it over to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad.

At the time, Pant had said the final report would be submitted after further investigation. On July 1, the state government extended the SIT’s tenure by 15 days to complete the probe.

Sources said the SIT is expected to revisit Ayodhya to examine records and question trust functionaries and others connected with the donation management system.

The alleged embezzlement has also prompted the trust to review its banking arrangements for donations.

At present, all cash collected from the temple’s donation boxes is deposited with the State Bank of India (SBI) branch at Naya Ghat in Ayodhya. The trust is now exploring alternatives, including engaging another bank or distributing deposits across multiple banks.

The review follows a meeting between trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri and officials of a private sector bank in Ayodhya earlier this week, sources said.

The move comes after former trust general secretary Champat Rai, in his statement to the SIT, alleged that SBI had failed to enforce basic cash-handling safeguards such as mandatory frisking of counting staff, pocketless uniforms, and other security protocols for high-value cash operations.

The SIT’s preliminary report also flagged repeated violations of security procedures during cash counting and examined whether lapses in supervision contributed to the alleged theft, according to sources.

Meanwhile, police have widened the financial investigation by seeking details of the accused persons’ income, bank accounts, movable and immovable properties and investments from the Income Tax Department, banks, tehsil offices and sub-registrar offices. Eight people, including trust employees associated with the temple’s donation-counting process, have been arrested in the case so far.

Investigators are also verifying possible assets outside the Ayodhya district and examining whether any suspicious investments were made in the names of relatives or associates of the accused persons.

The police have so far recovered about Rs 80 lakh in cash and some jewellery from some of the accused.

Investigators are matching banking transactions, land records, property registrations, revenue documents and vehicle registrations to determine whether the assets held by the accused are disproportionate to their known sources of income.

Separately, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura has implemented changes in its security protocol barring devotees’ entry on VIP passes issued through the identification credentials of former trust general secretary Champat Rai, Gopal Rao and trustee Dr Anil Mishra.

The IDs used to issue such passes were deactivated after the three resigned from their positions, rendering previously issued passes invalid, according to sources.

The police have sought a seven-day custodial remand of two jailed accused, saying fresh disclosures made during the investigation require verification and recovery of evidence.

The Anti-Corruption Court has fixed July 14 for hearing the plea.