Full Breakdown
Alleged Embezzlement of Devotees’ Offerings at the Ayodhya Ram Temple
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Background & Context
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the newly built Ram Temple in Ayodhya, faced allegations that cash donations from devotees were diverted during the counting process. A complaint lodged by interim general secretary Krishna Mohan triggered a Supreme Court-mandated Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. The investigation examined the Trust’s software records, CCTV footage, bank-account data, property transactions and mobile-phone logs to trace the alleged financial trail.
Core Findings of the SIT
- CCTV evidence: The SIT’s review identified 105 instances in which cash was allegedly removed or concealed inside the counting room.
- Digital communications: More than 3,000 deleted messages were recovered from the accused’s phones, discussing the removal, concealment, transport and distribution of the cash.
- Valuable offerings: The Trust’s software listed 803 valuable donated articles; investigators found no discrepancies in these items.
- Financial recovery: Police have recovered Rs 79.85 lakh linked to the suspected embezzlement from seven of the eight accused; no recovery was reported from Subhash Srivastava.
Legal Framework and Charges
The chargesheet invokes several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS):
- Section 316(5) – criminal breach of trust;
- Sections 317(2) and 317(5) – property derived from such an offence and its concealment;
- Section 61(2) – criminal conspiracy.
In addition, a sanction under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been obtained against the six counting agents. The chargesheet, spanning nearly 70,000 pages, lists 133 prosecution witnesses and details the alleged conspiracy to divert offerings.
Timeline of Key Developments
| Date (occurred) | Event |
|---|---|
| June 26 | All eight accused were arrested a day after the FIR was registered on Krishna Mohan’s complaint. |
| June 27 | Former general secretary Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Kumar Mishra announced their resignations from the Trust. |
| September 23 | The chargesheet was filed before the special judge of the Anti-Corruption Court in Ayodhya, naming eight accused and listing 133 witnesses. |
| September 25 | The filing met the statutory 90-day deadline linked to the initial arrests. |
| October 7 (scheduled) | The eight accused are to appear before the court for the next hearing. |
Official Responses
- Police: Described Anukalp Mishra as the “main conspirator” and noted his coordination with relative Lavkush Mishra and accused Avinash Shukla via text messages.
- Trust officials: Former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Kumar Mishra have been designated as prosecution witnesses; both resigned from their Trust positions following the allegations.
- SIT: Reported that the counting agents misused their access to cash and, together with co-accused Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar Yadav (alias Tinnu), diverted portions of the offerings.
What’s Next
The court is set to hear the eight accused on October 7. The prosecution will present its evidence, including the CCTV footage, recovered cash, and digital communications, while the defense is expected to contest the allegations. The trial will determine whether the accused are convicted under the BNS provisions and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Until a verdict is rendered, all accused remain presumed innocent.