From a few Rs 500 notes to Rs 2 crore: How Ayodhya Ram Temple theft snowballed

The investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has revealed that the accused took advantage of lax monitoring of the CCTV cameras, sources said.

At times, there was no one present in the control room, making it easier for them to carry out the thefts, the sources added.

During police interrogation, the arrested accused allegedly said that six employees began stealing just two to three months after they were hired.

Initially, they would hide one or two Rs 500 notes in their clothes and take them out of the premises, the sources said, citing the accused.

After going undetected for a long time, they became more confident and gradually began stealing bundles of currency notes, eventually taking much larger amounts of cash.

During questioning, the accused admitted to collectively stealing approximately Rs 2–3 crore.

The investigation has also allegedly revealed that seven of the accused arrested by the police used the stolen money to purchase properties in Ayodhya and other locations.

According to sources, around June 4 and 5, the temple Trust recovered approximately Rs 79 lakh in cash and stolen jewellery from the premises of the accused. Additional cash was reportedly recovered even after the arrests were made in the case.

The recovered jewelry is being verified. If valid proof of purchase or evidence that the items were received as gifts is provided, they will be returned to the family members. Otherwise, they will be treated as stolen property and appropriate legal action will be taken.

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