Ram Janmabhoomi trust to meet amid donation probe, resignations in focus

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will meet on Monday to discuss key administrative matters, including the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, while reviewing developments in the ongoing investigation into the alleged donation embezzlement case

Ayodhya (UP): The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will hold a crucial meeting on Monday amid ongoing investigations into the alleged embezzlement of donations, with the fate of the resignations submitted by the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra expected to dominate the agenda, Trust sources told PTI.

The meeting, scheduled to be held at Mani Ram Chhawni — the monastery of trust president Nritya Gopal Das — will take place for the first time since the controversy broke out.

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Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri has asked all regular and ex officio members to attend the deliberations. Sources in Ayodhya said the possibility of 89-year-old Das attending the meeting is high following his discharge from the hospital.

Hospital sources in Lucknow told PTI that Das was admitted here on June 29 with a urinary tract infection and breathing difficulties, and was discharged on Friday.

Sources told PTI that senior trustee K Parasaran, who cannot travel due to age-related health issues, may participate in the meeting via video conference.

According to sources, the Trust is likely to discuss the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, both of whom stepped down after being linked to the donation theft row.

If their resignations are accepted, the meeting is also likely to consider plans for a new administrative structure for the Trust’s operations. The role of special invitee Gopal Rao is also expected to be discussed, sources said.

Additionally, the meeting is likely to include a briefing on the interim findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement case, and will likely address the future management framework for the Ram temple.

Sources said that an unaudited income and expenditure statement, balance sheet, and other financial details for the 2025-26 fiscal year will be presented for approval.

Furthermore, discussions regarding the appointment of a chief executive officer to oversee the management of the Ram temple are expected to take place during the meeting, sources told PTI. Currently, the Trust comprises 11 regular members, including president Nritya Gopal Das, Vasudevanand Saraswati, Vishwaprasannatirth, Parmanand Giri, treasurer Govind Dev Giri, Krishna Mohan, Dinendra Das, and K Parasaran. With the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, and the recent death of trustee Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, the Trust currently lacks a vice president to preside over meetings in the president’s absence, sources say.

The ex-officio members include Union government secretary Prashant Lekhande, Uttar Pradesh government secretary Sanjay Prasad, Ayodhya District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi and former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Nripendra Mishra. The meeting comes as two parallel investigations into the alleged embezzlement are underway.

While an SIT is conducting an administrative probe and its tenure has been extended till the end of July, the police are investigating the case after an FIR was lodged on the Trust’s complaint.

According to sources, statements from Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and special invitee Gopal Rao have been recorded by both the SIT and the police; however, no FIR has been filed against any of the three Trust functionaries.