Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft investigation intensifies

Police in Uttar Pradesh have opened a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya. Eight people, including temple worker Ramshankar Yadav alias “Tinnu” and his nephew Manish Yadav, have been arrested and placed in a 39‑hour custodial remand. Investigators have recovered about ₹2 lakh and suspect the total loss may exceed ₹5 crore, with media reports citing figures around ₹30 million rupees.

The probe has triggered resignations within the temple trust – former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra stepped down – and the trust has scheduled a meeting of all trustees for 22 July to review the SIT’s interim report and appoint its first chief executive officer. Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri called the theft “shameful” and urged accountability.

The scandal has spilled into politics. A survey ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections found that half of respondents see the controversy as a factor that could influence voting, and opposition leaders such as Rahul Gandhi have written to the Prime Minister demanding an independent inquiry. Religious groups, including the Nirmohi Akhara, have filed petitions with the Supreme Court demanding a forensic audit and restructuring of the temple trust.

Activists argue the case highlights systemic weaknesses in the management of donor money at major Indian shrines, which handle cash, gold and silver donations worth billions of rupees annually. Calls for digital accounting, receipt issuance and CCTV monitoring have intensified as the investigation proceeds.