Ram Temple Trust to discuss SIT donation theft report, CEO post at key meeting

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will meet on Monday to discuss the preliminary SIT report on the donation theft case, consider a CEO post for temple administration, and review resignations, financial statements and other key matters

Ayodhya: A preliminary SIT report filed on donation theft and a discussion on creation of the post of CEO are part of the agenda of a meeting next week between the members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

The meeting scheduled to take place on Monday would be the first time the members would be coming together since allegations of malfeasance in cash and valuables donated to the temple surfaced.

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Mani Ramdas Chavni, the ashram of Trust chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, is where the meeting will take place at 3 pm. According to the agenda seen by PTI, discussions on appointing a CEO to manage the Ram Temple affairs will come up for discussion.

The first of the five-point agenda of the meeting, confirmed by officials Saturday, is a discussion of the resignations of general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, both of whom, along with special invitee Gopal Rao, have been in the eye of the storm since the theft came to the fore.

The meeting is happening amid two parallel investigations into the allegations, one being conducted by a Special Investigation Team, or SIT, whose tenure has been extended till July end, and another by the police.

Both SIT and police have recorded statements of these three senior Trust officials. No FIR has still been registered against the three of the Trust functionaries.

Lawyers from Faizabad Bar Association, however, have submitted a written complaint to the police seeking an FIR against Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao. The other points in the agenda include a discussion of the unaudited (‘alekhaparikshit’) income-expenses statement and balance sheet for the financial year 2025-26, other financial details and their approval.

The agenda for the meeting was issued by treasurer Govind Dev Giri. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, who due to age related issues attended previous meets virtually, is currently unwell and recovering at a Lucknow hospital.

The hospital in its medical bulletin on Friday said he is expected to be discharged in two-three days. Eight persons named in an FIR filed following SIT’s preliminary report have since been arrested.

While all of them had earlier been remanded to 14 day judicial custody till July 23, police later sought and got custody remand of Avinash Shukla, one of the key accused, according to the investigators.

Police sources said some important evidence linked to the donation theft has been recovered from Shukla’s house in Ayodhya.