SIT probe into alleged Ram Temple donation misappropriation; trust and lawmakers seek oversight

Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari alleges that the Ram Temple Donation scam, currently being investigated by the Uttar Pradesh Police, is not the first instance of embezzlement here, claiming the BJP has been pilfering devotees’ donations for years 

Ayodhya: Former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Dr Anil Mishra have acknowledged that Rs 81 lakh was returned to the Trust after the alleged theft of devotees' donations, according to their joint resignation letter that has surfaced for the first time.They later told the SIT about the theft, which corroborated the points they mentioned in their resignation letter.The resignation letter, addressed to the Trust's president and treasurer, also reveals that the two senior functionaries recommended a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the case and decided to step aside from all Trust responsibilities pending the outcome of the investigation.According to the letter, confusion and concern had spread among devotees after media reports began appearing from June 8 regarding the counting of money collected in the temple's donation boxes. It said several people had made "baseless statements", adding to the controversy.The letter states that on the night of June 4, a trustee was informed that five or six youths had allegedly stolen money during the counting of donations. After deliberations, CCTV footage was reviewed on the morning of June 5, leading to the identification of some of the suspects.The former office-bearers said the Trust initially decided against immediately lodging an FIR with the police. Instead, the identified youths were questioned.According to the resignation letter, between the night of June 5 and June 8, the accused and their family members returned a total of Rs 81 lakh to the Trust. It further claims that they also submitted written confessions admitting to the theft.Also Watch:The letter says that as media attention on the case intensified, the Trust requested the Uttar Pradesh government to order an SIT investigation so that the truth could be established and the reputation of everyone associated with the Trust could be protected.The government accepted the request and constituted an SIT, which began its investigation on June 15, the letter states.In the concluding part of the resignation letter, Champat Rai and Dr Anil Mishra wrote that they had decided to distance themselves from all Trust-related responsibilities until the truth was fully established. They requested that the letter be treated as their resignation.The Trust accepted the resignations of both office-bearers during its meeting held on July 6.Indian Women's Hockey Team Leaves For Europe Ahead Of FIH World Cup 2026 PreparationsMeanwhile, the newly constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) held its first virtual meeting on Wednesday and reviewed the progress of the Ram Temple donation theft investigation. Although the team is yet to hold its first formal in-person meeting, sources said all three members discussed the investigation carried out so far and examined the police action taken in the case.The Supreme Court had directed the constitution of a new SIT on July 20 to investigate the alleged theft from the Ram Temple donation boxes. In compliance with the order, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted the three-member panel on July 26. The SIT comprises Lucknow IG Kiran S, Ayodhya Range DIG Somen Verma and Ayodhya SSP Dr Gaurav Grover. The investigation will now proceed under the supervision of the new team, which is expected to review the evidence collected so far, the interrogation of the accused, details related to the recovered money, the properties allegedly purchased with the stolen funds and other aspects of the case before deciding the future course of the probe.

Ayodhya: Investigators probing the Ram Temple offering theft case have uncovered what they believe is a major investment made using stolen donation money, with police preparing to attach a plot of land allegedly purchased after the prime accused paid Rs 24 lakh in cash.Sources said prime accused Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu bought the land in the name of his son, Ravi Yadav, around a year ago in Ayodhya's Sahadatganj area. Investigators have found that while official records show only about Rs 9 lakh was paid through banking channels, Tinnu allegedly paid an additional Rs 24 lakh in cash to complete the transaction. Police suspect the cash component came from money siphoned off from devotees' offerings at the Ram Temple.The transaction came to light during Tinnu's custodial interrogation and subsequent scrutiny of land records obtained from the tehsil. Investigators are now treating the property as suspected proceeds of crime and have begun the process of attaching it under relevant legal provisions.According to sources, the land was purchased from a close relative of a senior BJP leader. Police questioned the sellers during Tinnu's custody to verify the mode of payment and the source of funds. While the registered value of the property is around Rs 35 lakh, officials estimate its current market value to be nearly Rs 50 lakh.Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: On Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Trust former General Secretary Champat Rai observing silence amid the Ram Temple donation theft case, Samajwadi Party National General Secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav says, "He is involved in the Ram Temple theft case. More facts… pic.twitter.com/Cot9RrdOWY— IANS (@ians_india) July 27, 2026 The probe has now widened beyond this transaction. Investigators are examining properties purchased in recent years in the names of Tinnu's relatives to determine whether stolen donation money was routed into real estate. Although no conclusive evidence has yet linked those properties to the accused, officials suspect that any such investments would have been made largely through cash, making the money trail difficult to establish. Records relating to ownership, payment methods and sources of funds are being scrutinised.Also Watch:Meanwhile, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has initiated a comprehensive review of its financial systems in the wake of the offering theft case.At a meeting of the Trust's Finance Committee, members discussed measures to strengthen transparency and tighten safeguards in the handling of donations. Acting General Secretary Krishna Mohan directed that salaries and payments to Trust employees, engineers and contractual staff should be released on time without any delay.The meeting, attended by Finance Committee members, temple construction engineer Jagdish and the Trust's chartered accountant Chandan Rai, decided to review all provisions of the memorandum of understanding with the bank handling the Trust's accounts to plug any procedural loopholes.Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Announces ₹30 Lakh Reward For Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist Raja MuthupandiThe committee also resolved to introduce stronger digital safeguards by maintaining a secure audit trail for every financial transaction. Regular internal reviews of donation receipts, deposits and disbursements will be conducted to detect irregularities at an early stage.The Trust is also considering strengthening its coordination with the bank by introducing enhanced alert and verification mechanisms. Officials said the objective is to restore devotees' confidence by ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the management of temple donations after the theft scandal. A revised financial protocol based on the committee's recommendations is expected to be implemented soon.

Ayodhya: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust blamed the State Bank of India (SBI) for lapses that led to the alleged embezzlement of temple donations but remained silent on the role of its own former office bearers and senior functionaries despite the Special Investigation Team (SIT) having flagged internal failures in its probe.Reviewing the donation theft case, the Trust said trustees examined SBI's responsibilities under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) governing the counting of offerings and expressed disappointment over the bank's failure to adhere to the prescribed procedures. The Trust maintained that deviations from the agreed protocol resulted in irregularities in the counting process.The Trust even gave a hint that it might change its main banking partner and can opt for private bank.However, the statement issued after the meeting made no mention of lapses by former Trust functionaries, raising questions over why accountability was confined to the bank while senior office bearers were spared scrutiny. The SIT, in its findings, had reportedly concluded that former trustee Anil Mishra relaxed key safeguards laid down in the MoU, weakening the donation counting mechanism and creating conditions that enabled the alleged theft. Those findings found no reference in the Trust's official statement.The meeting also did not address the role of former general secretary Champat Rai in allegedly giving extensive powers to Tinnu Yadav, who investigators said had access to both the donation boxes and the counting room keys. The SIT has identified this unrestricted access as one of the major factors behind the embezzlement.#WATCH | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh: On the meeting of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Krishna Mohan, a trustee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust, says, "... Discussions on irregularities in the donation amount were not done due to the pending final report… pic.twitter.com/OH8iOFl22H— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 22, 2026 At its meeting in Ayodhya, the Trust reviewed SBI's obligations under the MoU and concluded that the bank had failed to enforce the prescribed system for handling and counting devotees' donations. According to an official statement, trustees expressed disappointment over what they described as negligence on the part of SBI, saying deviations from the approved procedures resulted in irregularities in the counting process.In one of its strongest observations since the theft surfaced, the Trust authorised its Finance Committee to hold discussions with SBI officials to ensure strict compliance with every provision of the MoU. The committee has also been asked to review the bank's contractual obligations and examine the future course of the arrangement if SBI fails to implement the prescribed guidelines and safeguards.A senor official in Trust told this reporter that the Trust wants to handover the banking operations to a private bank because of if “operational transparency”. Therefore, the Trst has put SBI into noticeThe Trust's hardening stand comes even as it has emerged that SBI had itself carried out an internal investigation after the alleged embezzlement surfaced and identified weaknesses in the donation counting mechanism, supervisory controls and deployment of outsourced manpower.According to senior banking sources, soon after the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), senior SBI officials from the Lucknow Circle headquarters and the bank's Varanasi administrative office began making frequent visits to the SBI branch in Ayodhya, the principal banker of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The branch manages nearly Rs 890 crore of the Trust's deposits and is responsible for handling the cash donations received daily through temple hundis.Chala Pandharisi Jaau: Maharashtra Tourism Celebrates Warkari Tradition With Cultural Extravaganza In MumbaiAccording to senior officials, SBI had detected suspicious activities involving some personnel engaged in counting donations nearly three months before the case surfaced. After observing irregularities during internal monitoring, the bank recommended that certain outsourced employees be removed from the assignment.That recommendation was formally communicated to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.Questions are being raised as to why no action followed the bank's recommendation and why the same personnel allegedly continued to participate in counting devotees' offerings despite the concerns raised by SBI. Officials are also looking into whether the communication was ignored, delayed or suppressed and whether any trust functionaries prevented action from being taken.Also Watch:Several corrective measures recommended during the bank's internal investigation have since been implemented.Beginning July 19, following a week-long trial, the Trust introduced an entirely new donation counting system under SBI's supervision. The earlier counting teams were replaced and a two-shift system was introduced to strengthen supervision and accountability.According to temple sources, each shift now comprises 10 to 12 personnel. The first shift operates from 8 am to 2 pm, while the second functions from 2 pm to 8 pm. Bank sources said the revised system incorporates several safeguards suggested during the internal investigation.This reporter contacted senior SBI officials, including through email, seeking the bank's response to the Trust's allegations and the findings of the internal investigation. No response was received till the time of publication.

Ayodhya: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Wednesday deferred the appointment of a permanent General Secretary and the Ram Temple's first Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with trustees failing to arrive at a consensus during a crucial meeting held in the wake of the donation embezzlement case.Acting General Secretary Krishna Mohan will continue in office, while the Trust fixed September 2 for its next meeting, when the appointments are expected to be finalised. The two-hour meeting, held from 3 pm to 5 pm at Shri Swami Mani Ram Das Ji Maharaj Chhawani under the chairmanship of Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, focused on administrative restructuring and measures to tighten oversight of temple finances after the alleged diversion of donations.In a significant development, the Trust expressed dissatisfaction with the State Bank of India's response after irregularities in the donation counting process surfaced. It directed its finance committee to review the Trust's banking relationship with SBI and examine the existing standard operating procedures before taking a final decision.After Donation Theft Row, Ram Temple Trust to Publish Monthly Audit Reports Online The Trust, however, could not deliberate on the findings of the Special Investigation Team probing the alleged embezzlement as the final investigation report has not yet been submitted. Trustees also took note of proceedings pending before the Allahabad High Court in connection with the case.The board reviewed security arrangements at the temple and expressed satisfaction that access to the CCTV camera network, including cameras monitoring the donation counting centre, has now been provided to all security officials to strengthen surveillance and accountability.It also approved continuation of the existing system under which the Reserve Bank of India's subsidiary, the Mint, tests the purity and quantity of gold and silver offerings made by devotees.The meeting discussed six key agenda items, including filling three permanent trustee vacancies created by the resignation of former General Secretary Champat Rai, trustee Dr Anil Mishra and the death of trustee Raja Ayodhya Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra.Ram Temple Donation Theft Probe Widens; Lucknow Properties Of Accused, Kin Under Scanner The appointment of a new General Secretary also remained inconclusive. Acting General Secretary Krishna Mohan, a retired Indian Forest Service officer, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad General Secretary Bajrang Lal Bagra are understood to be the frontrunners for the post vacated by Champat Rai.The Trust also reviewed the selection process for its first CEO, a post being created to professionalise the administration of the temple. More than 5,500 applications have been received from across the country, but trustees decided to defer the appointment until the next meeting.Hanumat Niwas Temple Mahant Dr Mithilesh Nandini Sharan represented Ayodhya's saints at the meeting. Senior trustees present included Treasurer Govind Dev Giri, Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, Yugpurush Parmanand and Jagadguru Vishwaprasanna Tirth. Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Bajrang Lal Bagra and Dinesh Chandra attended as invited members.'Courts Are Not A Place For Politics': Supreme Court Tells Parties In Ram Temple Donation Row Trustees also reviewed the progress of temple construction, administrative functioning and the restructuring of the Trust's committees, particularly the finance and audit committee, as part of efforts to strengthen governance after the donation theft controversy.The meeting was the second convened after the alleged embezzlement came to light. At its previous meeting on July 6, the Trust had accepted the resignations of Champat Rai and Dr Anil Mishra, who stepped down on June 26 following the controversy, and appointed Krishna Mohan as acting General Secretary.

Lucknow: The investigation into the alleged theft of donations from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has widened, with authorities now scrutinising properties allegedly purchased in Lucknow by the accused and their family members using suspected proceeds of the crime.Ayodhya Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Gaurav Grover has written to Lucknow District Magistrate Vishakh G, seeking details of agricultural, non agricultural, commercial and residential properties registered in the names of the eight accused and 46 of their relatives. Officials familiar with the investigation said the move is aimed at identifying assets acquired over the past two years and determining whether they were purchased using money allegedly siphoned from temple donations.Following the request, the Lucknow district administration has directed the Municipal Corporation, Awas Vikas Parishad and the Revenue Department to prepare and submit a comprehensive report at the earliest. Revenue officials across all five tehsils of the state capital have begun examining property registration records to trace land and real estate transactions linked to the accused and their relatives.'Courts Are Not A Place For Politics': Supreme Court Tells Parties In Ram Temple Donation Row Circle Officer Ashutosh Tiwari, who is leading the investigation into the donation theft case, has sought details of both movable and immovable assets acquired by the accused during the past two years. Investigators believe the information will be crucial in establishing the money trail and identifying assets allegedly purchased with misappropriated funds.According to official records sought by the police, the property search includes not only the eight accused but also their close family members. In the case of accused Avinash Shukla, details of properties registered in the names of his father, four brothers, nephew and niece have been sought. Similar information has been requested for the family members of the other accused, including Anukalp, Karunesh Pandey, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Ramashankar Mishra, Ramshankar Yadav and Subhash Srivastava.Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge Write To PM Modi Seeking Independent Probe Into Ram Temple Donation Theft Case Sources said that once the Lucknow administration submits its report, Ayodhya Police is expected to share the findings with the Income Tax Department. The tax authorities are likely to examine whether the assets are disproportionate to the known sources of income of the accused. If irregularities are established, proceedings under laws relating to disproportionate assets may also be initiated.The police are awaiting the detailed report from the Lucknow administration before taking the next course of action. A criminal case in connection with the alleged theft of donations from the Ram Temple has already been registered at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station in Ayodhya, and the investigation is continuing.