Ayodhya lawyers seek FIR against Ram Temple Trust officials over donation theft

Lawyers of the Faizabad Bar Association marched from the court premises to the Ram Janmabhoomi police station in Ayodhya and submitted a formal complaint seeking the registration of an FIR against Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's former general secretary Champat Rai, trustee Anil Mishra and special invitee Gopal Rao. The complaint alleges embezzlement of funds donated for the Ram Temple construction. The bar association warned that if police refuse to register the FIR, it will approach the court and may launch a protest agitation.

The lawyers criticised the handling of a previous FIR that led to the arrest of eight persons and called for a CBI inquiry and Enforcement Directorate involvement, citing the large sums involved. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has received an additional 15 days to complete its probe, and new security measures have been heightened at the Trust’s offices ahead of a scheduled Trust meeting on July 6, where the future of the accused officials is expected to be discussed.

Police have indicated the complaint is under examination, and security personnel have been deployed around key Trust locations. The lawyers' actions reflect growing pressure on the Uttar Pradesh authorities to ensure a transparent investigation into the alleged donation theft.