Ram Temple donation case: Land records under scanner in Ayodhya probe

Ayodhya police are examining the land and bank records of the accused in the Ram Temple donation theft case to determine whether their assets qualify as proceeds of crime. Investigators are also verifying property purchases, recovered evidence and the roles of all eight accused

Ayodhya:  As the investigation into the Ram Temple donation theft case proceeds, Ayodhya police have obtained the land and bank records of the accused and are investigating whether the assets constitute “proceeds of crime”, sources said on Saturday.

Police sources stated that they had requested records of land parcels belonging to the accused and their family members from the Revenue Department. The police have so far received records for approximately 20 land parcels from the department and are currently verifying them. According to the police, the dates on which these properties were purchased and the dates on which the accused became associated with the Ram Mandir Trust are crucial details currently being verified. If the properties were purchased after the accused became associated with the Ram Mandir Trust, the administration could classify them as “proceeds of crime”, sources said.

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Earlier on Friday, acting on information provided by the main accused, Avinash Shukla, the Ayodhya police seized a four-wheeler, designating it as “proceeds of crime”.

Investigators on Friday also uncovered what is believed to be the location where the accused allegedly distributed the stolen money among themselves. During police remand, Shukla was taken to a site near the 14-Kosi Parikrama route in Ayodhya, where he reportedly identified the exact place used for the division of the cash.

Eight accused, including Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Kamlesh Pandey and Tinu Yadav, allegedly gathered at this location after the theft to divide the stolen donations, sources privy to the probe told IANS.

Sources further said that police officials questioned Avinash Shukla at the spot. He is said to have reconstructed the sequence of events there. He also explained how the money was shared among the members of the group, the sources said.

The location was not only used for distributing the stolen cash but also for concealing valuables linked to the crime, the sources said.

Acting on Avinash Shukla’s disclosure, investigators reportedly recovered a valuable item hidden near the same site. The officials have not yet revealed the nature of the recovered object. However, it is believed to be an important piece of evidence that could strengthen the prosecution’s case.

The recovery has provided investigators with fresh leads regarding the alleged conspiracy. The probe team is trying to ascertain the movement of the stolen property and the roles played by each accused.

Police are now examining whether additional evidence or valuables remain hidden and are verifying the statements made during the remand.

The investigation into the high-profile Ram Temple donation theft case is continuing, with officials expected to question the remaining accused and analyse the recovered evidence before filing further submissions in court.

A total of eight accused were booked for the alleged theft at the temple, and all were subsequently arrested. The FIR was registered at Ayodhya Kotwali police station based on a complaint filed by Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Those named in the case include Ramshankar Yadav, Trust employees Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra and Avinash Shukla; and retired bank employee Subhash Srivastava.

The filing of the case came soon after a three-member SIT flagged several irregularities at multiple levels in its preliminary report.