Accusations of irregularities in fundraising for the Ram Temple escalated and turned into a major controversy on Friday after eight men linked to the temple’s management were arrested, and nearly… $80,000 from their homes and the resignation of two prominent members of the temple body.
These dramatic developments came a day after the Uttar Pradesh Police filed a first information report (FIR) on a complaint filed by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in connection with the allegations, naming one of the trust’s assistant general secretary Champat Rai and seven others.
Rai and senior trust member Anil Mishra resigned on Friday, people familiar with the matter said. There was no official confirmation of the resignations at press time. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad newspaper said it was not aware of the resignation of its vice president, Champat Rai. Neither Rai nor Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, could be reached for comment.
According to a person familiar with the details, Rai wrote to Chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and said he would step down “to ensure a free and fair investigation” and “protect the sanctity” of Lord Ram, while denying any wrongdoing and taking “moral responsibility”.
The resignations came in the wake of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s announcement that proceedings had been initiated after a preliminary report was submitted to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the alleged irregularities.
Adityanath attacked the opposition, saying that the action was initiated immediately after the special investigation team submitted its report. “I had mentioned that action would be taken as soon as the SIT report arrives. The report has been released, and action has begun. During my visit to Ayodhya on June 19, I said the truth will come out. The government will not tolerate tampering with faith,” he said at a public meeting in Deoria.
These developments came a day after the FIR named Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tino, a close aide of Rai, along with Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, Ramashankar Mishra, Manish Yadav and Karunesh Pandey. Another person said that Anukalp Mishra and Lavkush Mishra are related to each other, as well as Anil Mishra. They added that Ram Shankar Yadav and Manish Yadav are related.
The case has been registered against eight named accused and other unidentified persons under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 306, 316 (5), 317 (4), 317 (5), 61 and 3 (5), relating to offenses like criminal breach of trust, cheating, theft and criminal conspiracy, along with Section 13 (1) (a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Officials familiar with the developments said the Special Investigation Team recommended an FIR on the basis of oral evidence, financial documents as well as electronic evidence.
The eight accused were produced before an anti-corruption court, which remanded them in custody till Monday, said KC Verma, Ayodhya’s prosecution officer. Verma said police found a total $79,85,893 in cash from seven of the accused. He added that no cash was recovered from Subhash Srivastava.
The police are now expected to move the court, seeking remand for all eight accused to interrogate them in detail about the alleged diversion of donations, determine the trail of funds, confront them with documentary and electronic evidence, and recover additional cash, valuables and other incriminating items believed to be linked to the alleged embezzlement.
The controversy first surfaced on June 7 when Samajwadi Party leader Tej Narayan “Pawan” Pandey claimed that donations worth… $5 Crores $Rs 7.5 crore has been withdrawn from the temple offerings.
On June 13, the state government set up the Special Investigation Team at the request of the Temple Trust. The committee, comprising Lucknow District Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Lucknow Range Inspector General Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neil Ratan, conducted a preliminary investigation in Ayodhya from June 15 to 20. The special investigation team examined the entire donation management chain, including collection boxes, money counting, storage, accounting procedures, access control and CCTV monitoring, people familiar with the investigation said. The preliminary investigation indicated apparent irregularities in the handling of money and valuables offered by worshipers.
Following the landmark 2019 Supreme Court ruling in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Mosque ownership dispute, the Government of India set up the Temple Trust to oversee the construction of the temple and it was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020, according to its website. The foundation’s website said that out of its 15 members, 12 were created by the government, and at its first meeting, three more members were selected.
Indian devotees can donate to the trust in its bank accounts managed by branches of State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Punjab National Bank – all located in Ayodhya. Devotees abroad can donate to the State Bank of India’s Delhi branch which manages foreign contributions.
The trust has received donations of $82.78 lakh crore between April 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026, according to details presented by the fund before its executive committee during a meeting in Ayodhya on March 21.
Trust member Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji said such a “serious crime” should not have happened and if the allegations are proven to be true, those responsible should face appropriate punishment. “Being a member of the Trust, I cannot comment on anything now based on what others have said. On July 11, there is a meeting of the Trust, I will go. After I know what the matter is, I will put the matters before you,” the Pope said at the Sri Pejavara Adhokshaja Math.
Adityanth hit the opposition.
“Whoever tampers with people’s faith will face consequences. No one can be given such freedom. I have said that Ayodhya is a symbol of the faith of all of us and Sanatan Dharma. Do not look with evil eyes at Ayodhya. Learn to maintain the dignity of Lord Ram,” Adityanath said. “One party was saying that Ram did not exist at all. They fought the case in the courts and hired a group of lawyers. They were against the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and the construction of the temple,” he added.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded strict action. “Just imagine: if they had managed to steal so much in seven weeks, how much money they must have embezzled over all these years ago, how much money they must have divided among themselves, how much money they must have quietly hidden or buried, and how much money they must have transferred along the way to their leader,” he posted on X.
