Days after allegations of donation misappropriation at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir triggered widespread controversy, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra reportedly submitted their resignations on Friday, taking moral responsibility for the matter, according to sources.
The resignations come amid growing scrutiny following preliminary findings by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which allegedly uncovered significant shortcomings in the management and monitoring of donations made by devotees at the Ram Temple.
Based on the SIT’s recommendations, the first FIR in the case has already been registered. The complaint was filed by trust member Krishna Mohan, who joined the trust in September 2025 following the death of former trustee Kameshwar Chaupal.
Within hours of the FIR being lodged, Uttar Pradesh Police arrested all eight individuals named in the case on Thursday.
Those taken into custody include Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ram Shankar Yadav, also known as Tinnu. Authorities are currently completing legal formalities and questioning the accused.
The FIR invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Corruption Act, including charges of theft, criminal breach of trust, possession or concealment of stolen property, criminal conspiracy, and offences committed with common intent.
The controversy escalated after allegations surfaced that donations contributed by devotees were not being handled properly.
In response, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member SIT on June 13 to investigate alleged irregularities related to the collection, storage, transportation, and accounting of temple offerings.
According to sources, the SIT’s preliminary findings pointed to procedural lapses at several levels. Investigators reportedly identified shortcomings in employee verification processes, inadequate checks on personnel entering and exiting sensitive areas, weak CCTV monitoring systems, and irregularities in the transfer of donations from temple premises to the trust office and subsequently to banks.
The investigation also reviewed the donation-counting process. Sources indicated that outsourced personnel were involved in banking operations linked to donation counting, raising concerns about recruitment procedures and supervisory mechanisms.
In addition, investigators are examining records related to gold, silver, jewellery, and other valuables donated by devotees after discrepancies were allegedly detected in inventory records and documentation.
Meanwhile, BJP worker Dr Rajnish Singh, who had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking intervention in the matter, said that resignations alone were insufficient and called for further legal action.
Speaking to India Today TV, Dr Singh urged investigators to scrutinise the role and assets of both individuals who resigned. These remain his personal allegations and have not been independently verified.
Expressing confidence in the Uttar Pradesh government’s response, he stated that he trusted the actions initiated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the ongoing SIT inquiry, while adding that further measures could follow once the final report is submitted.
On June 12, 2026, Dr Singh submitted a representation to the Prime Minister requesting public disclosure of the trust’s financial records, including details of donations, expenditures, income, bank accounts, land transactions, assets, and liabilities. Authorities subsequently informed him that the matter was under investigation by the SIT.
Following the administration’s response, Singh clarified that his intention was not to target any individual or institution but to ensure a transparent and impartial inquiry.
He stated that the issue was closely linked to the faith of millions of Hindus and that any complaints or allegations should be subjected to a high-level investigation so that the truth could be established and shared with the public.
Prior to approaching the Prime Minister, Dr Singh had also demanded a probe by either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into allegations that between ₹7 crore and ₹7.5 crore in temple donations had been misappropriated.
The issue soon acquired political significance after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav publicly referred to reports regarding missing donation funds and called for judicial intervention. Following the registration of the FIR, he questioned whether accountability would be limited to lower-level individuals while senior figures escaped scrutiny.
At the same time, several prominent voices associated with the broader Ram Mandir movement stressed the need for transparency and strict action if any wrongdoing is proven. They emphasised that public trust and faith associated with the temple must remain protected.
Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath responded to the alleged donation embezzlement case by reaffirming the state government’s zero-tolerance policy toward any misuse of public faith or Sanatan values.
Addressing a public gathering in Deoria, the Chief Minister said action was initiated immediately after the SIT submitted its findings.
Referring to remarks he made during a visit to Ayodhya on June 19, Yogi stated that the government had assured the public there would be no compromise on issues related to the temple town. He emphasised that matters connected to faith must be treated with utmost seriousness and that preserving Ayodhya’s dignity remained a top priority.
As the SIT continues its investigation and prepares to submit its final report to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, attention is now focused on whether additional action will be taken and whether the trust will undergo administrative or structural reforms in the coming weeks.
