Following allegations by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav that crores of rupees in donations to the Ram Temple were missing, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged misappropriation.
The SIT, led by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, questioned more than 40 people during its investigation in Ayodhya and submitted a preliminary report. Based on the findings, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member Krishna Mohan filed a police complaint seeking action against eight individuals.
The police registered an FIR based on the Trust member's complaint, invoking provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to theft at a place of worship, theft by an employee, criminal breach of trust, handling and concealing stolen property, fraud, criminal conspiracy, and offences committed by multiple persons acting together in the alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donation funds.
All eight accused, Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Luvkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Rama Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Rama Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, were arrested and remanded to judicial custody for three days. Police recovered nearly Rs 80 lakh allegedly linked to the embezzlement and are investigating whether more people were involved.
According to the FIR, the accused, including temple personnel and cash-counting staff, allegedly worked together to steal cash from donation boxes and conceal valuables during the counting process by deliberately blocking CCTV cameras. The SIT's investigation led to the seizure of the cash from the accused's residences. Among those arrested, Rama Shankar Yadav is said to be a close aide of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai.
The arrests intensified political criticism, with Opposition leaders in Uttar Pradesh demanding action against Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and other senior Trust members, alleging the FIR targeted only lower-level staff while shielding those responsible for oversight. Congress leaders described the case as a cover-up and called for a wider investigation.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) denied rumours that Champat Rai had resigned. Amid the controversy, former IAS officer and temple construction committee chairman Nripendra Misra proposed appointing a full-time professional CEO to manage the Ram Temple's day-to-day operations under the Trust.
The SIT also recommended reforms to improve transparency, including pocketless uniforms for staff handling donations, professional accounting practices, regular audits, and replacing the largely volunteer-driven cash management system.
HJS opposes state control of temples
The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has demanded an immediate probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, calling it a "grave sin" and urging strict action against those responsible.
Reiterating its long-standing stand on temple administration, the organisation said temples should be managed by devotees rather than the government. HJS spokesperson Ramesh Shinde argued that a secular government should not interfere in the management of religious institutions.
Shinde claimed corruption had increased in several temples after they came under state control and said their management should instead be entrusted to committed devotees as an act of selfless service.
The HJS maintained that religious institutions should remain independent of government control, arguing that devotees are best placed to preserve their sanctity and administration. The remarks come amid allegations of financial irregularities involving donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
Yogi signals tough action in temple case
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's response to the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple is being viewed as an effort to reinforce his image as a firm Hindutva leader while signalling that no one, including influential figures within the BJP, RSS or affiliated organisations, is above scrutiny.
At a public meeting in Deoria, Adityanath warned that anyone "playing with the faith of Ram devotees" would face strict consequences, remarks widely seen as directed at members of the Ram Temple Trust, many of whom have RSS and Vishwa Hindu Parishad backgrounds.
Backing the crackdown, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak said no one found guilty would be spared. Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) general secretary Arun Rajbhar, a BJP ally, said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's action would set a precedent.
