As an FIR has been filed in the Ram Mandir donation theft case, it has been reported that the alleged theft of cash offerings and jewellery was uncovered through the strategic installation of hidden cameras in the note-counting room. The discovery came after trust officials noticed glaring discrepancies in daily bank deposits during the last week of May, prompting a discreet internal probe that ultimately exposed a well-orchestrated nexus operating right under the nose of existing surveillance systems.
As per reports, officials of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust observed that while donation boxes were regularly yielding substantial collections, between ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh in cash per box, the amounts being deposited in the bank consistently fell short. The shortages were particularly noticeable in bundles of ₹500 notes. This pattern raised immediate suspicions of pilferage. To get to the bottom of the matter without alerting the suspects, hidden cameras were installed in the room where donation boxes were opened, counted, notes sorted, bundled and prepared for bank deposit.
When the footage from these hidden cameras was reviewed after about a week, it exposed the entire modus operandi. Employees involved in counting the notes were seen stealing currency directly from the bundles and concealing it in their clothes. To evade the regular CCTV cameras installed in the room, one employee would deliberately stand in front of the visible camera, shielding his accomplice while the theft took place.
In another method exposed by the footage, counting staff would insert extra notes into each bundle. During transportation to the bank, the bundles were counted only by number rather than individual notes. Deposit slips were prepared accordingly, and the extra notes were quietly removed en route, ensuring the deposited amount matched the slip while the stolen cash remained with the culprits.
Specific clips showed certain individuals, including one identified as Avinash, later depositing portions of the stolen money into their personal bank accounts. Bank reconciliation by the trust confirmed these deposits matched the missing amounts.
The hidden camera footage further revealed that jewellery items donated by devotees, including earrings, jhumkas, nose rings, bangles, bracelets and anklets, were also being stolen before they could be properly recorded in the official ledgers. These items were allegedly taken first and entered later, creating a gap that allowed the theft to go undetected for weeks.
The investigation uncovered a tight-knit nexus of employees and their associates, many of whom were hired through personal recommendations and family connections. Key figures included Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, described as a close associate and former driver of Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, who reportedly managed operations in the donation area and possessed keys to the donation boxes. Tinnu is said to have brought in his cousin Manish Yadav for the counting work. Anukalp Mishra, involved in preparing donation vouchers, emerged as a central figure in the conspiracy, allegedly roping in his brother-in-law Luvkush Mishra. Other accused named in the FIR include Subhash, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra and Avinash Shukla.
Following the evidence gathered from the hidden cameras, the Trust lodged a formal complaint. On June 25, an FIR was registered at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station against eight named individuals and unknown others on charges of embezzlement, fraud, criminal conspiracy and breach of trust. All eight accused have since been arrested. Police have recovered substantial cash, around ₹10 lakh from Luvkush Mishra’s house, ₹20 lakh from Anukalp Mishra’s residence, and other amounts from different accused and their bank accounts. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had already been probing the matter, used this footage as crucial evidence.
Champat Rai, who resigned as General Secretary of the Trust on moral grounds today, has been linked to the case through his associate Tinnu Yadav, though direct involvement of senior trust functionaries in the actual theft has not been established in the camera footage so far.
The SIT has recommended systemic reforms, including stricter monitoring, proper frisking of staff, and overhauling the donation management process to prevent such incidents in the future. The Uttar Pradesh administration is also considering measures to strengthen oversight at the temple.
