Ayodhya temple donation scam probe widens

Ayodhya police have widened their investigation into the Ram temple donation theft, scanning the financial backgrounds of 50 cash-counting employees. The embezzlement scandal, which has seen eight arrests, will be raised by opposition parties in the upcoming Monsoon session

Ayodhya (UP): With eight people arrested so far in the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, the scope of investigation has now widened to examine all the persons involved in the temple’s daily business.

Police sources said that nearly 50 people were engaged in counting currency notes donated by devotees at the temple. These were recruited on the recommendations made by the Trust office bearers or others closely associated with them.

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Investigators are now examining the backgrounds of these employees and whether any of them accumulated assets disproportionate to their known sources of income after joining the cash counting duty, sources said.

Police sources also confirmed that the probe has also brought under scrutiny a few senior Trust functionaries associated with the management and also some government functionaries who remain involved in the Trust’s functioning from time to time.

Meanwhile, highly placed sources also said that the probe will also examine other financial transactions as well, made during construction and purchases of land by the trust.

According to investigators, CCTV footage has provided direct evidence against six of the eight arrested accused, allegedly showing them concealing bundles of currency notes inside their clothes, pockets and shoes while counting donations at the temple’s Pilgrim Facilitation Centre.

On June 25, police registered an FIR in the case on a complaint by the Trust and arrested eight men — Avinash Shukla, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, and Subhash Srivastava. Tinnu Yadav is Champat Rai’s former driver; Maneesh Yadav is Tinnu’s nephew.

Tinnu, who was considered close to former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, allegedly supervised the temple’s donation boxes, while Manish was involved in counting the offerings.

The police had earlier recovered Rs 1 lakh from Tinnu’s residence and Rs 2 lakh from Manish’s house. The officials said that during the remand, investigators are expected to take the two accused to various locations to question them about the alleged theft, trace additional cash and valuables, and verify properties allegedly purchased using the siphoned-off money.

Before seeking the custody of Tinnu and Manish, the police had interrogated six other accused on custodial remand in connection with the case.

Investigators have also submitted before the court cash, jewellery and documents related to properties recovered earlier this week following the questioning of former bank employees Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar Mishra during police custody.

The alleged theft of donations offered at the Ram temple surfaced in the first week of June and has so far led to the arrest of eight people and the resignation of two senior functionaries from the Trust.

Opposition parties have said they will raise the Ram temple alleged donation embezzlement issue during the Monsoon session of Parliament which is scheduled to start on July 20.