Ayodhya: Ten days have passed. Three complaints have been filed. Roughly two crore rupees have already been recovered. And yet, not a single FIR has been registered in the Ram Mandir donation theft case in Ayodhya. That is the question gripping millions of Ram devotees across India, and the anger is palpable.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) swung into action on Monday, entering the Ram Mandir premises at 2:50 PM and wrapping up nearly eight hours later around 10:30 PM at night. During this marathon session, the SIT reviewed CCTV footage installed near the donation boxes, examined the cash counting and collection processes, and went through documents spanning from 2021 to the present. A total of 36 people were questioned, including certain officials of the Ram Mandir Trust and bank employees. Among those grilled for over two hours was Gopalji Rao, a special invitee member of the Ram Mandir Trust. Despite the intense questioning, no arrests have been made so far.
Three separate written complaints have now been submitted in connection with the alleged scam. Santosh Dubey, associated with the Ram Mandir movement, has alleged that apart from cash donations, large quantities of gold, silver, and jewellery have also gone missing. He further claimed that Trust officials and staff were involved in financial irregularities exceeding Rs 200 crore, and demanded FIRs, arrests, and polygraph tests against named individuals including Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, Gopalji Rao, and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu. The second complaint came from UP Karni Sena chief Abhinav Singh, while Youth Congress filed the third, demanding that the Trust be dissolved and an independent inquiry ordered.
Six individuals have come under the scanner in this case. Lavkush Mishra, a relative of Anukul Mishra and a counting team member, had Rs 5 lakh recovered from his residence. Anukul Mishra, who heads the counting team and is a nephew of Trust official Anil Mishra, allegedly purchased a property worth Rs 65 lakh. Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, a close aide of Trust general secretary Champat Rai, was reportedly in charge of managing the deposit of donations into banks. Also under scrutiny are Manish Yadav, Karun, and Avnish Mishra, all linked to counting and management operations.
Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, speaking to TV9 over phone, denied all allegations. “I am being targeted because of my closeness to Champat Rai. My assets can be investigated. I have not stolen anything and I am ready for any kind of inquiry,” he said. He added that SIT had not questioned him yet despite the serious charges, and that all CCTV footage from within the temple complex remains available.
The opposition has not held back either. Congress has demanded that the matter be probed by a High Court judge, also questioning the composition of the SIT by pointing out that it includes an officer who was Commissioner during the Mahakumbh stampede. Religious leaders too have expressed serious concern, saying that people with genuine religious devotion should be part of the Trust to prevent such incidents in the future.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel called the alleged donation theft extremely serious, stating that those responsible cannot be forgiven and must face the strictest possible action.
This is not the first time the Ram Mandir Trust has found itself at the centre of controversy. Back in 2021 and 2022, allegations of land deal irregularities had also surfaced. The Aam Aadmi Party and Samajwadi Party had accused the Trust of purchasing land at inflated prices. One case involved a 1.208 hectare plot in Bag Bijaisi village that was bought for Rs 2 crore and allegedly sold to the Trust within minutes for Rs 18.5 crore. Another involved a plot bought for Rs 20 lakh in February 2021 by a relative of the Ayodhya Mayor and sold to the Trust for Rs 2.5 crore just three months later. The Trust had denied any wrongdoing in both cases, maintaining that all transactions were transparent and done at fair market value.
From land acquisition to donation boxes, the cloud of suspicion over Ram Mandir management has only grown thicker and the question that remains unanswered is still the same: when will the FIR be registered?