Avinash Shukla, the key accused in the Ram Mandir donation theft case, has been shifted to Ayodhya jail after his police remand ended. Police questioned him continuously through a 13 hour remand, and during that stretch the investigation also picked up a major lead.
A Car Recovery Opens New Angles
Acting on information given by Avinash Shukla, police recovered a car from his house in Pratapgarh. The allegation is that this vehicle was used to transfer the stolen donation money. Police also suspect that the car itself was purchased using money stolen from the temple's donation collections. The recovered Brezza car turned out to be registered not in Avinash's name, but in the name of his brother, Abhishek.
Clues Tied to the Yoga Centre
Earlier the same day, police had taken Avinash to the yoga centre where he used to live. Notably, during a raid at this same yoga centre on June 5, police had recovered Rs 5 lakh in cash from a box belonging to Avinash. That earlier find has continued to guide the investigation as new details emerge.
Police May Seek Custody of Another Accused
The Ayodhya police team also took Avinash to the 12 Kosi Parikrama route and the Kaushalpuri yoga centre. During this exercise, it emerged that the Brezza car recovered on Thursday, registered in the name of a relative of Avinash, had actually been bought second hand. In total, the investigation now involves three vehicles. According to sources, police may seek custody of another one of the arrested accused on Saturday as questioning continues.
Anukalp's Vehicles Also Under the Scanner
Ayodhya police are also examining vehicles linked to Anukalp, another accused arrested in the case. Anukalp had recently booked a white Dzire car and had posted its photo on social media. Sources say he had also booked a Scorpio using stolen money, but he was arrested before he could actually buy that vehicle. Sources further claim both the Dzire and the Scorpio were financed using money stolen from the donation collections.
Car Registered in Brother's Name, Teacher Questioned Too
Police have seized Avinash's car, treating it as property purchased with the stolen donation money. Investigators are now also trying to establish what other assets may have been bought using the stolen funds. The seized car is registered not in Avinash's name but in the name of his brother, Abhishek, who works as a primary government school teacher in Ayodhya. Police had questioned Abhishek at the yoga centre as well, but he was let go afterward.
