Ram Mandir Donation Row: Police Weigh Narco, Polygraph Tests On Jailed Accused To Uncover Wider Conspiracy

Last Updated:July 07, 2026, 14:15 IST

Ram Mandir Donation Row: Investigators are expected to confront the accused with documentary, financial and electronic evidence collected during the probe.

Ram Mandir Donation Row: As the probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya intensifies, the police is considering conducting narco-analysis and polygraph tests on five arrested accused in the case to probe the suspected larger conspiracy, trace the money trail and determine whether other individuals, including senior functionaries, were involved.

Investigators are expected to confront the accused with documentary, financial and electronic evidence collected during the probe. Depending on the outcome of the questioning, police may seek their custody individually for further interrogation, Times of India reported, citing sources.

The move comes after police secured court nod to interrogate the accused inside jail. The five accused–Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey and Manish Yadav–were questioned inside the district jail on Sunday, where their statements were formally recorded.

According to sources, police believe that narco-analysis and polygraph examinations could prove useful in resolving contradictions in the statements of the accused, reconstructing the alleged modus operandi, tracing the movement of siphoned funds and identifying additional persons who may have played a role in the alleged embezzlement.

The proposed tests are also expected to help determine whether the accused acted independently or as part of a larger organised network linked to the temple’s donation management system.

According to sources, any disclosures made during such examinations would be treated only as investigative leads. Police would independently verify any information through CCTV footage, bank account analysis, call detail records, forensic examination, witness statements and other admissible evidence before drawing conclusions, the report added.

Investigators are also examining whether there were any institutional or supervisory lapses in the handling of temple donations and whether any senior functionaries had prior knowledge of, or involvement in, the alleged conspiracy.

Ram Temple Donation Row

The proposed tests are part of the broader investigation into the alleged donation embezzlement, which has also expanded to include scrutiny of the Ram Temple Trust’s financial records, donation collection mechanisms, audit documents and expenditure on major events.

The case centres on allegations that cash and valuables donated to the temple may have been misappropriated. Questions have been raised over the handling of 70 kg of silver, 1,250 kg of gold, Rs 200 crore in cash and other donated items, including offerings linked to Lord Ram’s idol and sacred padukas.

Champat Rai resigned as the former general secretary of the temple trust following the SIT probe into the alleged donation theft.

Eight people associated with the temple’s donation collection and counting process have been arrested so far, while the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of devotees’ contributions is continuing.

So far, investigators have recovered substantial amounts of cash from the accused, including Rs 20.39 lakh from Avinash Shukla, Rs 18.07 lakh from Karunesh Pandey, Rs 16.82 lakh from Anukalp Mishra, Rs 14.25 lakh from Lavkush Mishra, Rs 7.32 lakh from Ramashankar Mishra and Rs 1 lakh from Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu.

About the Author

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre...Read More

News india Ram Mandir Donation Row: Police Weigh Narco, Polygraph Tests On Jailed Accused To Uncover Wider Conspiracy

Read More