3 accused remanded to police custody as Ram Mandir donation theft probe intensifies

Three of the eight accused arrested in the theft of devotees' donations and other valuables from temples within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust complex in Ayodhya were taken into police custody on Wednesday for further interrogation.

Accused Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra and Karunesh Pandey were brought out of the district jail at around 7 am after a local court granted police custody remand to facilitate further investigation into the alleged embezzlement of temple offerings.

Investigating Officer and Circle Officer (Ayodhya) Ashutosh Tiwari is leading the interrogation of the three accused.

The remand was sought after investigators claimed fresh evidence had emerged during the questioning of other arrested persons, particularly prime accused Avinash Shukla.

Police are conducting a joint interrogation of the three accused and cross-verifying their statements with material already gathered during the probe.

According to officials, the questioning is focused on the alleged theft of donation money, its distribution among the accused, and other aspects of the conspiracy.

Later in the afternoon, police teams left the Police Lines with the three accused to conduct searches at locations identified during the interrogation.

Officials expect recoveries of cash and other valuables allegedly linked to the case based on disclosures made by the accused.

8 ARRESTED AFTER CASE WAS FILED

The case relates to the alleged theft of devotees' offerings and valuables from the Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya.

So far, eight people have been arrested in the case. They include Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Rama Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar alias Tinnu.

The Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations after the matter came to light.

The SIT's preliminary findings have identified Avinash Shukla as the prime accused in the racket.

Investigators suspect he orchestrated nearly 70 instances of theft over a 40-day period while working in the temple's donation-counting system.

CCTV footage, recovery records, bank transaction analysis and witness statements have reportedly formed the basis of the evidence collected against him.

The SIT has also alleged that Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra and Karunesh Pandey assisted Shukla in concealing and removing donation money during counting operations.

PROCEDURAL, SECURITY LAPSES FOUND

The investigation has also uncovered alleged procedural and security lapses in the temple's donation management system.

The SIT has flagged inadequate frisking of personnel, weak supervisory mechanisms and shortcomings in CCTV monitoring, while ordering a re-audit of the Trust's accounts for the past five years and scrutiny of expenditure on major events over the last two years.

Police have so far recovered more than Rs 79 lakh from the accused, excluding Subhash Srivastava, who investigators continue to treat as part of the alleged conspiracy.

Earlier searches from Shukla's possession allegedly yielded Rs 20.39 lakh in cash, foreign currency, gold and silver ornaments, an SUV and a donation box bearing the inscription "Ramrajya Kosh" with an active QR code.

Investigators are also examining allegations that fake donation receipt books carrying the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's name and logo were used to collect money from devotees before the temple shifted to an online receipt system.

TRUST MEMBER FILED COMPLAINED

The case was formally registered following the recommendations of the SIT after a complaint by Trust member Krishna Mohan.

Separately, the Trust has initiated administrative changes in the wake of the controversy. Former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra have resigned, while former administrator Gopal Nagarakatte alias Gopal Rao has been removed as a specially invited member of the Trust and vacated his accommodation within the temple complex.

With the three accused now under police custody, investigators are expected to intensify searches, examine fresh evidence and pursue further recoveries.

The findings of the ongoing interrogation and the SIT's wider financial and procedural probe are likely to determine the next course of action in one of the most significant investigations involving the Ram Temple's donation management system.

- Ends