The investigation into the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has uncovered.
A financial trail linked to one of the accused, with police examining transactions worth more than ₹15 lakh to determine whether they were connected to the misappropriated funds.
According to investigators, accused Avinash Shukla transferred money to multiple individuals and also distributed cash payments. Police are now tracing these transactions to establish whether the funds originated from the temple’s donation collections.
The probe has also revealed that Shukla allegedly gifted around ₹2 lakh in cash and an expensive mobile phone to a woman friend. Investigators are examining whether these purchases were made using the stolen money.
Police said Shukla’s brother, Abhishek, had frequently noticed him carrying large amounts of cash to a yoga centre after work. When questioned about the source of the money, Shukla reportedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.
According to investigators, Abhishek later asked another accused, Anukalp, about the cash. Anukalp allegedly claimed that devotees voluntarily gave money out of gratitude and also paid for assistance during darshan. He reportedly warned Abhishek not to raise the issue again. Police said these claims are being verified as part of the ongoing investigation.
SIT Expands Probe
On July 3, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) visited the Ram Temple premises to continue its investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations.
The Uttar Pradesh government has granted the SIT an additional 15 days to complete its inquiry, allowing investigators to widen the scope of the probe and examine all aspects of the case in detail.
An FIR was registered on June 25 after the SIT submitted its preliminary report two days earlier. Eight people named in the FIR have since been arrested.
Following the arrests, Ram Temple Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking moral responsibility for the alleged financial irregularities.
Political Row Intensifies
The alleged embezzlement has triggered a political confrontation in Uttar Pradesh, with Opposition parties accusing the BJP of failing to safeguard donations made by devotees.
The ruling party, however, has defended the government’s response, insisting that the investigation is being conducted transparently.
BJP MP Dinesh Sharma said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath acted promptly by ordering an SIT probe.
“The chief minister has ordered an SIT investigation. The investigation is underway, and it is being conducted transparently. People should wait and have faith,” Sharma told ANI.
State Cabinet Minister Sanjay Nishad also defended the government’s handling of the case, saying the current administration was investigating the allegations instead of attempting to suppress them.
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