Ram temple 'fraud': SIT finds blatant SOP violations

LUCKNOW: The alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya has snowballed into a major controversy, with an SIT probe finding lapses in the shrine's donation management system and eight people associated with the counting of cash and valuables being arrested. Here is a look at what the investigation has found so far: While the details of how the donations were siphoned and exactly how much are still under investigation, the special investigation team (SIT) has pointed to some major lapses in its preliminary report.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) like deploying a security guard during a counting process, frisking of personnel while entering and leaving the counting room, and preserving CCTV footage of the donation-counting process for 180 days were violated, sources said, citing the findings of the report.

In violation of rules, Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, the former driver of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, held keys to several 'hundis' (donation boxes), they said.

"Many 'hundis' were there. So cash received in those hundis whose keys were with Tinnu was swindled apparently due to laxity in implementing the SOPs. The exact modus operandi is still being established," a source said.

The SOPs, finalised at a meeting of trust officials and State Bank of India representatives, were put in place in 2025 after the trust officials suspected that something was amiss in the donation counting process.

Anil Mishra, a key member of the temple trust, and Govind Mishra of the State Bank of India had formally signed off on the SOPs.

"The SOPs included a dress code requiring donation-counting staff to wear clothes without pockets, deployment of a guard through the Sainik Security Services (SIS) agency, regular frisking of all personnel entering and leaving the donation-counting rooms, and random checks. None of these norms was followed," the source said.

Another major violation uncovered by the SIT was that CCTV footage of the donation counting process was retained for only 45 days instead of the mandated 180 days.

Donation counting in-charge and accused Subhash Srivastava was appointed on the recommendation of one of the top three functionaries of the trust, according to the SIT report.

The controversy erupted on June 7 after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, a charge that was dismissed by Rai.

"Nothing noteworthy has come to light during the ongoing internal audit," Rai had said.

The SIT that was constituted on June 13 on the orders of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to probe the sensational allegations appeared to prove Rai wrong. The sources admitted that given the nature of its findings, a major "overhaul" of the Ram temple management set-up was in the offing.

They told PTI that it took the SIT just six days to uncover the shocking details of alleged mismanagement, donation embezzlement, glaring lapses and blatant neglect in managing the affairs of the temple. The findings were part of its preliminary report submitted to the government on June 23.

The Ram temple has witnessed a massive influx of devotees since its grand consecration on January 22, 2024, particularly during the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj, resulting in a huge collection of cash and valuable offerings.

Following the submission of the SIT report, an FIR was registered in the matter on June 25 and eight accused -- Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav -- were arrested.

Police said Tinnu Yadav employed his relative and co-accused Manish Kumar Yadav at the temple's cash-counting unit.

All eight accused have been sent to judicial custody till Monday.

According to the sources, nearly Rs 80 lakh in cash, along with some foreign currency, has been recovered from six of the eight accused so far.

"Though the probe is still underway, you would have noticed the speed with which action followed after the trust, given the enormity of the SIT's preliminary findings, was forced to register an FIR," the source said.

"After the controversy broke out and just before the SIT was constituted, Rs 2.5 lakh was recovered from a washroom near the donation counting room," the source said.

The sources said the disclosures were "hugely embarrassing" as "those responsible" for managing the trust remained oblivious to the alleged fraud.