The Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh has given a 15-day extension to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as confirmed by a state government official on Wednesday (1st July). The state government official said that the extension was granted on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The SIT was initially given 15 days to complete the investigation.
The SIT on the ₹ 7 crore embezzlement case was constituted on 13th June, after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust requested the Chief Minister to order an SIT probe into the matter. Acting swiftly, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member SIT, comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner (IAS) Vijay Vishwas Pant, IG (Range) Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan.
The SIT submitted its preliminary report on 23rd June, following which an FIR was lodged on 25th June against eight persons. The accused have been identified as Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu.
Earlier, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and member trustee Anil Mishra had resigned amid the investigation into the embezzlement of donations. On Sunday (28th June), police questioned Rai for about three hours regarding the embezzlement.
In another development, Radio Operation Officer (RMO) Arjun Dev, who had been posted at the Ram Mandir for the past 17 years, has been transferred to Gorakhpur.
Meanwhile, a donation chest with the words “Ramrajya Kosh” written on it and bearing a QR code for digital payments was recovered from the house of an accused, Avinash Shukla, during the ongoing investigation. Investigators have described the donation box as the most crucial piece of evidence found in the case so far.
Forensic experts will examine the QR code affixed to the chest to identify the bank account linked to it. The experts will then verify transaction histories and determine whether donations intended for the temple were diverted elsewhere. The investigators are examining the bank accounts and digital payment records of the accused to reconstruct the flow of money.
