What started with an allegation by a Samajwadi Party MLA evolved into a full-fledged investigation, filing of an FIR and arrest of a close aide of Ram Mandir Trust general secretary in Ayodhya, Champat Rai. Donations worth crores of rupees by devotees of the Ayodhya temple are now allegedly missing and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Fund is under tight scrutiny.
Among the eight people arrested so far is Ramashankar Yadav, alias Tinu, an assistant to the fund’s secretary general, Champat Rai.
Opposition parties also intensified their attack on the government, claiming that many valuables are now missing. Moreover, the temple administration received calls from devotees who started asking for silver and gold donations, including statues they had made for the Ram temple, according to people familiar with the matter.
According to the data provided by the Fund’s Executive Committee, it received donations worth $82.78 lakh crore between April 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026. Moreover, the ₹138.03 Crores as Interest”>Trust Earned $138.03 crore as interest on its bank deposits during the same period. He maintains accounts with the State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank in Ayodhya.
How did the controversy start?
Allegations of irregularities in donations emerged earlier this month after Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey alleged that he was… $Rs 7-7.5 crore donations were stolen or embezzled.
Other opposition leaders later joined the chorus and demanded transparency in the details of the donations.
The BJP-led UP government was quick to dismiss the allegations as a “false narrative”.
“Those who are trying to spread rumors about Shri Ram Temple are trying to create a false narrative. The people of the state understand such politics,” Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak said, accusing SP chief Akhilesh Yadav of spreading misinformation.
Likewise, the temple trust also initially denied the allegations.
Read also: Kejriwal prays at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya amid row over donations, says bigger players protected: ‘FIR is just an eyewash’
Things changed after the case took a legal turn.
A lawyer filed a petition on June 12 seeking an investigation into the matter, and a day later the Uttar Pradesh government formed the Special Investigation Team at the request of the Temple Trust.
Advocate Mohit Ashok, who filed the appeal, reportedly claimed that he had conveyed the representations to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary (Vigilance), Ram Temple Trust, CBI and other authorities on June 8. According to him, following his PIL, the state government ordered the formation of the Special Investigation Team. The special investigation team was assigned to submit initial and final reports on the donation issue.
‘ $200 million in cash stolen
Claims of missing donations are increasing amid the ongoing investigation.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in Ayodhya to visit the temple, said on Thursday that items like sandals, jewellery, garlands and lamps donated to Lord Ram were stolen from the temple. “Diamonds and precious stones offered by devotees to God have been stolen. $200 crore cash was stolen and even 200 kg silver was stolen.”
Read also: ‘Don’t cast evil eye on Ayodhya’: Yogi to opposition over Ram Mandir donation row
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday alleged that his party had not received a corresponding receipt. $A sum of Rs 1 crore has been donated to the temple fund. “We did not receive the receipt for $1 Crore. When the trust was formed, we presented a check $1 Crore. “We have given the first silver bar weighing more than 25 kg,” he said, according to a report by news agency PTI. He also alleged that there were attempts to protect Champat Rai and local BJP functionaries.
FIR, 8 arrests so far
On Thursday, an FIR was lodged in connection with the case based on a complaint from the temple trust. According to the police, these are the eight people arrested in connection with the case – Ramashankar Yadav, also known as Tino, assistant general secretary of the trust, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava, a retired bank employee who was in charge of counting donations.
Last week, Champat Rai was questioned by the Special Investigation Team over allegations of misappropriation of donations. The team also examined surveillance camera footage and the fund’s records, inspected donation boxes and counted them, as reported earlier.
