SIT Wraps Up Probe, Massive Report Headed to CM Yogi
The three-member Special Investigation Team investigating allegations of financial misuse at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has nearly concluded its work. The team departed from Ayodhya for Lucknow on Saturday night, carrying a report that runs to approximately 140 pages. Sources say this report could be formally handed over to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today. Around 20 associate members of the SIT continue to operate within the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, collecting additional information even as the core team prepares for the formal submission.
Champat Rai Questioned Four Times, Latest Session Lasted Three Hours
Champat Rai, the Secretary General of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, has appeared before the SIT for questioning on four separate occasions during this investigation. The most recent session, held last Saturday, lasted close to three hours inside a closed room and was conducted under continuous video recording. Sources say the SIT has gathered concrete evidence of theft from the temple's offerings. The findings are expected to lead to action against multiple individuals, with a number of sevaadaars facing possible dismissal.
Probe Expands: Appointments and Security Arrangements Now Under the Scanner
What began as an inquiry into alleged financial misappropriation has grown considerably in scope. The SIT is now examining appointments made at the temple after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in January 2024, the security arrangements in place, and the administrative decision-making processes of the Trust. Sources suggest that several appointments may have been made without completing the required screening procedures. The team is also reviewing recruitment processes, record-keeping practices, and how key decisions were taken within the Trust.
Currently, around 800 employees work at the Ram Mandir in various capacities. Of these, approximately 200 have been directly hired by the Trust itself. Employees from private agencies handle tasks such as the locker facility, security services, the footwear counter, and cleaning operations. Volunteers at the yajna site, along with salaried staff working at pilgrim facilitation centres, service centres, pass-issuance counters, and the accounts office, as well as the temple priests, have all been appointed by the Trust. The Trust office has handed over several key documents to the investigation team, which are currently under review. No official findings about any particular official or staff member have been announced so far.
CCTV Footage and Banking Records Scrutinised in Detail
The SIT examined CCTV footage, cash-counting records, and banking documents in detail to determine whether standard operating procedures (SOPs) were followed at every stage and whether any manipulation occurred during the process. The entire chain from the donation collection boxes to the point of bank deposit was reconstructed step by step, with investigators checking for any discrepancies or irregularities along the way. The inquiry extended beyond the alleged embezzlement to include the overall systems and oversight mechanisms used to manage the temple's offerings.
Several individuals who came under suspicion were questioned at length during the investigation. Multiple people have been asked to appear before the SIT with supporting documents to substantiate their accounts.
Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya Fires Back at Akhilesh Yadav
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya responded sharply to statements made by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on the Ram Mandir matter. He said Akhilesh Yadav and his family were Ram dwrohis and should refrain from commenting on issues concerning the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi. He made clear that a three-member SIT is conducting a thorough probe and that whoever is found guilty once the investigation concludes will face strict action.
Minister Sanjay Nishad Calls for Strict Laws Against Religious Fraud
Minister Sanjay Nishad argued that stringent laws must be enacted against those who exploit public faith in the name of religious institutions. He said the Chief Minister took cognizance of the matter and ordered the inquiry, describing it as a vital constitutional process in a democracy. Those found guilty after the probe would face severe punishment, he added. Nishad also remarked that the very meaning of a trust is faith, and that principle applies equally to a temple, a mosque, or a church.
Minister Rathore Visits Ayodhya on Yoga Day, Vows Full Accountability
Cooperative Minister JPS Rathore visited Ayodhya on International Yoga Day and participated in a yoga event organised at Ram Ki Paidi. Speaking to journalists afterwards, he promised that every single rupee of the donated funds would be accounted for and that strict action would be taken against those found responsible. Rathore acknowledged that bank employees and cash-counting staff had been given an opportunity to carry out irregularities, and said the Ram Mandir Trust should have remained more vigilant to prevent such a situation from arising.
Rathore also recalled that lakhs of people had struggled and made sacrifices for years for the construction of the Ram Mandir, stressing that any irregularity in the management of donations is a grave matter directly connected to the faith of millions of devotees.
