SBI takes over Ram Temple donation counting under new system

Following the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust introduced a new SBI-supervised cash-counting system with two shifts, new supervisors and enhanced oversight to ensure transparency and strengthen security in handling devotees' donations

Ayodhya (UP): In the wake of the donation embezzlement row, the Ram Temple trust in Ayodhya has deployed a new team for the counting of cash offerings in donation boxes, introducing a two-shift system under the supervision of the State Bank of India (SBI), according to temple and bank sources.

The exercise began on Sunday after the completion of a week-long trial, following which the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust formally entrusted SBI with the counting process, bank sources said.

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According to temple sources, a team of 10 to 12 people has been deployed in each shift. The first shift operates from 8 am to 2 pm, while the second runs from 2 pm to 8 pm.

The trust has appointed Shobhnath Mishra as the new in-charge for cash counting after the previous in-charge, Subhash Shrivastava, was sent to jail in the donation theft case, sources said.

To strengthen oversight, the trust has deployed four supervisors, including an ex-serviceman as the counting in-charge. Trust Security In-charge and former Army officer Capt K K Tiwari has been designated the senior in-charge responsible for daily reporting of the counting process.

Former defence personnel S P Dubey and Sheshmani Tiwari have also been appointed as trust representatives to supervise the cash-counting exercise, the sources added.

The embezzlement of Ram temple donations came to light in the first week of June, following which the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 13 to probe the allegations.

Following the submission of the preliminary SIT report on June 23, an FIR was registered on June 25 and eight accused — Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav — were arrested.

During the investigation, police have recovered cash from multiple accused, with the highest recovery of Rs 20.39 lakh from Avinash Shukla, besides gold, silver, foreign currency and a donation box labelled “Ramrajya Kosh”.