Ram Temple Trust hands key role to new 3-member panel

Aphale was among a team of four senior engineers who had played a major role in giving technical expertise for the temple construction: from laying the foundation to the plinth and other structures.

Treasurer Govind Giri meets Champat Rai

Meanwhile, early Wednesday morning, Trust Treasurer Govind Dev Giri met Rai for a two-hour meeting at the Trust office.

This came after Rai on Tuesday had written two letters, one to the public and one to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged donation theft.

In the latter, Rai is said to have distanced himself from the revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for donation counting issued on February 6, 2025, during the Maha Kumbh. He reportedly blamed Trust members and banking officials for ‘keeping him in the dark’ about the revised SOP, which the SIT has alleged diluted security measures during the counting process and facilitated the alleged pilferage.

Sources said that as Rai has largely avoided meeting people since the allegations surfaced and the Trust announced his resignation on its official social media accounts, the Trust wanted to clarify its position following its July 6 meeting and discuss the contents of his recent letters. People close to Giri, however, maintained that he had merely visited Rai to enquire about his health.

Later in the day, Gopal Nagarkatte, who had earlier attended Trust meetings as a special invitee but was removed from that role on Monday, also met Giri.

After the meeting, Nagarkatte refuted allegations of his involvement in the ‘theft’ and said he had only been asked to stay away from Trust meetings until further decisions were taken.

“When Trust meetings take place, some members are invited to it. However, there have been attempts to mislead people by indicating that Gopal ji or Champat Rai ji were involved in the alleged scam. We have nothing to do with this. Two people resigned on moral grounds, so I was also asked to keep away from it, which I have accepted,” he told media persons.

Maintaining that alleged misappropriation took place only in donations and that there were no issues with the temple’s functioning, he added that he would assist till the new system is put in place and would withdraw once the new team takes over.