Ram temple trust receives Champat Rai and Anil Mishra resignations amid donation probe

Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri denied resignation reports. He stated that the theft of donations is likely around Rs 3 crore. Champat Rai resigned voluntarily after realizing his negligence in the matter. An Ayodhya court extended the judicial custody of eight accused individuals. The Supreme Court has also issued notices regarding the alleged misappropriation of funds.

The controversy prompted the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to accept the resignations of Champat Rai as general secretary and trustee Anil Mishra.

Lucknow: A fresh controversy has erupted over the resignation of former general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai, with trustee Mahant Dinendra Das claiming that a majority of trust members did not want his resignation to be accepted.Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mahant Dinendra Das alleged that the resignation was accepted at the instance of trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri and that he played the key role in the entire process. He said a copy of the resignation letter submitted by Champat Rai was not placed before all members, raising questions about transparency.According to Mahant Dinendra Das, trust member Parasaran, who attended the meeting online, cited provisions of the trust deed and said that Champat Rai's resignation became effective automatically once it was submitted. Based on this interpretation, the resignation was accepted.Ram Temple Donation Theft: SIT Finds Major Security Lapses, SOP Violations Behind Alleged Embezzlement However, Mahant Dinendra Das maintained that the procedure prescribed in the trust deed for accepting a resignation was not followed. He said the process should have been transparent and all trust members should have been properly informed.The statement has brought to the fore deepening differences within the Ram temple trust, which is already facing scrutiny over the alleged theft of offerings and donations at the temple.Amid the growing controversy, trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri defended Champat Rai and said he did not believe the former general secretary had any direct or "character-related" connection with the alleged theft."When I say that he is innocent, I mean that he cannot be linked to this episode in any moral or personal way. But he himself was not cautious," the seer said.Congress Stages Protest In Nashik Over Alleged Irregularities In Ayodhya Ram Temple Donations He alleged that Champat Rai had employed a driver with a criminal background and entrusted him with keys and other responsibilities. "The driver controlled everything. It was the driver who did all this. I suspect he had links with outsiders," he said.Swami Govind Dev Giri also said the absence of a chief executive officer in the trust's administrative structure contributed to the situation and announced that a CEO would soon be appointed.Meanwhile, newly appointed general secretary Krishna Mohan Das formally took charge on Tuesday.In a related development, the Faizabad Anti-Corruption Court granted one-day police remand of three accused, Karunesh Pandey, Anukalp Mishra and Lavkush, in connection with the alleged theft case. The police had sought seven days' custody. Investigators are expected to bring the accused from jail on Wednesday morning for questioning.Who Is Krishna Mohan? Former IFS Officer Appointed Interim General Secretary Of Ram Temple Trust After Champat Rai's Exit Even after stepping down from the temple trust, Champat Rai will continue as international vice president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. VHP president Alok Kumar confirmed that no action would be taken against him until the allegations are proven.Sources said Champat Rai is currently staying in seclusion at Teerth Kshetra Puram in Ramkot near the Ram temple under tight security. Even functionaries of the VHP and its affiliated organisations are reportedly required to obtain permission before meeting him.The controversy also drew political reactions, with former Ashok Gehlot alleging that the BJP and RSS had hurt the sentiments of millions of devotees. Addressing a press conference, Gehlot claimed that information about the alleged theft had been available much earlier but no action was taken and the matter was suppressed.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Treasurer Govind Dev Giri defended former general secretary Champat Rai following his resignation over a donation theft case, calling him "untainted" and his decision voluntary. The trust accepted resignations of Rai and trustee Anil Mishra after a preliminary report. Krishna Mohan takes over as interim general secretary, and a committee will recommend a permanent replacement.

Ayodhya: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday accepted the resignations of its general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Dr Anil Kumar Mishra amid the ongoing probe into alleged embezzlement of donations and valuables at the Ram temple.The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting of the trust chaired by Mahant Nritya Gopal Das in Ayodhya. Sources said unprecedented secrecy was maintained during the meeting, with no security personnel allowed inside and all participants depositing their mobile phones before entering.According to sources, of the 15 trust members, nine attended the meeting physically while two joined virtually.Sources also said Champat Rai and trustee Gopal Rao were not allowed to participate in the deliberations and were made to wait outside while the meeting was in progress. Dr Anil Mishra did not attend the meeting.'Why No CBI Or ED Probe? Akhilesh Yadav Alleges BJP's Internal Power Struggle Behind SIT Investigation Into Ram Temple Donation Case Trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri later said that Rai and Mishra had submitted their resignations after allegations surfaced regarding the theft of crores of rupees in temple donations and other precious offerings. Accepting or rejecting their resignations was among the principal agenda items of Monday's meeting."Both resignations have been accepted. Champat Rai and Anil Mishra are now out of the trust," a source familiar with the deliberations said.The trust decided that senior member Krishna Mohan will look after the day-to-day functioning and work of the trust until further arrangements are made. The next meeting of the trust has been scheduled for July 22.Newly appointed Ram Temple Trust General Secretary Krishna Mohan said the donation controversy had exposed shortcomings in the temple's management and operational systems. He said there were loopholes in the existing arrangements that needed to be plugged and that he would make every effort to address them. Acknowledging that the controversy had tarnished the image of the trust, Krishna Mohan said all trustees would work together to restore public confidence and repair the institution's damaged reputation.Ram Temple Donation Theft Probe Examines Tinnu's Links To Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav The leadership changes come at a time when the trust is facing its biggest crisis since the consecration of the Ram temple.A Special Investigation Team probing the case has reportedly found that employees responsible for counting temple offerings stole cash on nearly 70 occasions over a period of 40 days. Investigators have also claimed that the accused were aware of blind spots in the CCTV network and at times switched off or obstructed cameras to conceal the removal of currency notes.Champat Rai had submitted his resignation on June 26, a day after police arrested eight people, including his driver Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu, in connection with the alleged embezzlement.The trust had itself sought an SIT probe after the donation theft allegations surfaced. Following the request, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team on June 13 to investigate the matter.During Monday's meeting, several trust members expressed concern over the damage caused to the temple's reputation by the controversy.Swami Parmanand Giri said protecting dharma was the trust's foremost responsibility and that institutions based on faith must remain sensitive even to seemingly small issues because millions of devotees are emotionally attached to them.Ram Temple Trust Accepts Champat Rai's Resignation, Appoints Bajrang Bagra As General Secretary Mahant Dinendra Das said the trustees had devoted their entire lives to the Ram temple and that the allegations had caused deep anguish. Swami Vishwaprasannatirtha described the controversy as a "stain" on the institution.According to sources, several members also expressed displeasure over the role played by Champat Rai and Dr Anil Mishra in the developments surrounding the donation controversy.The trust also discussed appointing a chief executive officer for the Ram temple on the lines of the Kashi Vishwanath temple management model. However, members reportedly rejected the proposal and decided against introducing a CEO system for the Ayodhya shrine.The acceptance of the resignations and the decision to entrust Krishna Mohan with overseeing the trust's work are being seen as an attempt to restore public confidence as investigations into the alleged theft of devotees' offerings continue.