Six held in Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft case; probe underway into alleged embezzlement
Six people have been taken into custody, and a police case has been registered following allegations of misappropriation of donation funds at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The First Information Report (FIR), lodged on the complaint of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, names eight accused.
According to NDTV's sources, six of them are temple employees involved in counting cash donations.
Investigators said CCTV footage allegedly captured all eight accused siphoning off money from the temple's offerings.
Eight named in FIR
Those named in the FIR are Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Ramashankar Mishra, Ramashankar Yadav, Manish Yadav, Subhash Chandra Srivastava and Karunesh Pandey.
Police have launched a search for Ramashankar Yadav, who is reportedly the driver of the Trust's General Secretary Champat Rai, and another accused who remains untraceable.
Reports suggest that around Rs 7 crore to Rs 7.5 crore may be unaccounted for, although officials are yet to confirm the exact amount allegedly embezzled.
Allegations trigger political storm
The controversy first gained political attention after the Samajwadi Party raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the management of temple donations.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had alleged that crores of rupees from devotees' offerings were going missing and called for judicial intervention.
He also questioned the silence of both the Trust and the government on the matter.
As the allegations gathered momentum, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust sought a formal investigation, saying rumours circulating on social media were aimed at tarnishing the image of the temple and hurting the sentiments of devotees.
Government orders SIT probe
In response to the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the matter.
The probe panel comprises Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan.
The SIT has been tasked with establishing the facts and investigating the alleged diversion of donation funds.
Temple committee chief expresses concern
Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee and a retired IAS officer, had earlier said the allegations had caused concern at the highest levels.
According to Mishra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was worried by reports of irregularities linked to donations made by devotees.
The allegations also drew reactions from senior BJP leaders and prominent figures associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Former BJP MP Vinay Katiyar described the allegations as serious, recalling the sacrifices made by activists and leaders during the Ram temple movement.
Opposition reacts to arrests
Following the arrests, the Samajwadi Party claimed that the action vindicated its earlier allegations.
Party spokesperson Mohammad Azam said the arrests amounted to an acknowledgment that theft had taken place at the temple and termed it a victory for devotees seeking accountability.
The investigation is continuing, and authorities are expected to question the accused and examine financial records as part of the probe.
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