The investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple entered a crucial phase on Wednesday, with the Ayodhya Police subjecting the three main accused to intense interrogation even as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) prepared for its third visit to the city before submitting its final report to the state government, officers familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra and Karunesh Pandey – the three main accused – faced CCTV footage, witness statements, attendance records, bank records and other documentary evidence to prove their individual roles in the alleged diversion of temple donations and identify other people who might have been involved, the officers said, adding that based on the disclosures of the accused, fresh search and recovery operations are likely to be conducted on Thursday.
Read also: Ram Temple donation row: SIT probe expands to include jewelery trail
Investigators said they are examining financial transactions, bank records, property documents, electronic evidence and other evidence to determine the alleged money trail and ascertain whether the proceeds of the alleged crime have been invested in movable or immovable assets.
More arrests are not ruled out
While eight defendants have already been arrested, investigators have not ruled out further arrests if the court proves the complicity of more people, including bank employees or others associated with the donation counting and deposit operation.
Also read: ‘The bank did not implement…’: What Champat Rai blamed SBI for in his written report amid Ram temple ‘theft’ case
Besides the responsibility of the employees involved in handling the donations, the SIT is examining the role of people associated with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, bank officials and others to expose the larger conspiracy.
The three accused were brought from the Ayodhya district jail to police lines on Wednesday morning and were interrogated in the presence of senior police officers, officers said. Police teams also conducted searches in Milkipore and Enayatnagar, including locations linked to Anukalp Mishra’s relatives.
Adityanath defends Ram Temple Trust
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday defended the Ram Temple Trust and reiterated his allegations against the opposition Congress and the Samajwadi Party.
Adityanath said that only eight of the nearly 100 people involved in counting the donated funds were suspected of embezzlement.
The controversy first surfaced on June 7 when Samajwadi Party leader Tej Narayan “Pawan” Pandey claimed the donations were worth… $5 Crores $Rs 7.5 crore has been withdrawn from the temple offerings. On June 13, the state government set up a special investigation committee and an FIR in the matter was lodged on June 25, leading to the arrest of eight people the next day. The police claimed that she had recovered $79,85,493 of the accused.
