The ongoing investigation into the donation theft scandal at the Ram Mandir has reached a critical stage. In a midnight operation, police escorted the three primary accused—Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, and Karunesh Pandey—to the residence of Lavkush for an on-site interrogation. Furthermore, the suspects were taken to the Jaura area along the 14-Kosi Parikrama route. Investigators suspect that this location served as a hub where stolen cash was gathered and partitioned among the culprits.
Expanding Scope and Raids
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has conducted an extensive search operation across the Milkipur region of Ayodhya. The raids targeted properties linked to the relatives of Anukalp Mishra, as well as the business premises of a local bullion trader and a building materials supplier in Inayatnagar. Authorities are working to determine whether the assets and goods allegedly acquired by the suspects were paid for via cash or digital transactions.
Donation Counting and Security Lapses
The SIT is currently scrutinizing all financial records, bills, and vouchers associated with major expenditures by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Preliminary findings indicate that there have been approximately 70 suspicious incidents of theft over a period of 40 days. Beyond the actions of the accused, investigators are probing the systemic and security vulnerabilities in the temple's donation counting protocols. The primary suspect, Avinash Shukla, who had been residing at a yoga center for the past 10 years, is also under intense scrutiny. To date, eight people have been arrested in connection with the case. The accused were recently taken to Naka Chungi for identification before being returned to the police lines for further interrogation, which has continued throughout the night.
