A donation theft scheme has come to light at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya after officials from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust detected inconsistencies in cash deposits. The investigation began when trust officials reviewed bank deposit amounts against daily records from donation boxes in the last week of May. It was found that each donation box typically contained approximately Rs 7-8 lakh; however, several recurrent discrepancies in bundles of Rs 500 notes were observed. This raised suspicions and prompted further scrutiny.

In response, hidden cameras were set up in the donation-counting room to gather evidence. The surveillance revealed that certain employees allegedly obstructed the view of visible CCTV cameras while their accomplices removed cash from pre-sorted bundles. Although these actions were concealed from regular CCTV, the hidden cameras captured the thefts.

Moreover, investigators identified another possible technique used in the thefts. Reports suggested that employees counting the cash inserted additional notes into bundles. Given that banks typically checked only the number of bundles rather than the individual notes, inflated figures enabled them to generate vouchers based on false amounts.

Details of Alleged Scheme and Arrests Made

The investigation extended to the transportation of money from the temple to the bank, where extra notes were reportedly removed before confirming the deposits aligned with the official paperwork. Anukalp Mishra, one of the accused involved in preparing donation vouchers, allegedly conspired with his brother-in-law, Lav Kush Mishra. During the police probe, approximately Rs 10 lakh was reportedly retrieved from Lav Kush Mishra’s residence.

Furthermore, security measures in the donation counting room were found lacking, as employees exiting the area were not subjected to thorough checks. This lack of oversight has been identified as a factor that allowed the alleged thefts to persist over time. In addition to cash, various items of jewellery, such as earrings, nose rings, bangles, and anklets, offered by devotees were also reportedly taken before being recorded in the temple’s registers.

Authorities are also scrutinising another suspect, Avinash Pandey, whose personal bank account allegedly received some of the stolen money. Alongside him, several individuals with regular access to the counting room have come under investigation, including Ram Shankar Yadav, known as Tinnu Yadav, and Subhash Chandra.

Resignations and Legal Actions Follow

In light of the ongoing investigation, Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, alongside trustee Anil Mishra, submitted their resignations, reportedly taking moral responsibility for the incident. The Uttar Pradesh Police have registered the first FIR regarding the alleged misappropriation, arresting all eight individuals named in the report shortly thereafter.

The FIR identifies eight suspects, including Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ram Shankar Yadav. Additional unidentified persons are also being investigated. The complaint leading to the FIR was filed by Krishna Mohan, a member of the Trust, following insights from a preliminary report by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Charges against the accused are filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as well as the Prevention of Corruption Act. The investigation continues as law enforcement completes formalities regarding the arrests and interrogations.

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