The Yogi Adityanath govt has formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into claims that a part of the donations received at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya cannot be accounted for. The move comes amid a political row over the handling of funds donated by devotees.
The SIT has been asked to submit a preliminary report within seven days, while a detailed final report is expected within 15 days. According to official sources, the panel includes Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan.
Trust sought government intervention
The decision to set up the SIT was taken after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust approached Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and requested an independent inquiry. The trust said an official investigation was needed to establish the facts and clear up what it described as misleading claims regarding temple donations.
The issue gained attention after leaders of the Samajwadi Party raised questions about the money collected through donation boxes at the Ram Mandir. Former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey claimed that an amount between ₹5 crore and ₹7.5 crore was missing from the donations received by the temple.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also called for an impartial probe into the matter, saying the facts should be brought before the public. The claims sparked a debate over transparency in the management of temple donations.
Trust denies any irregularity
Rejecting the claims, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said there has been no wrongdoing or financial discrepancy. Trust General Secretary Champat Rai said the donation accounts are regularly audited in coordination with the State Bank of India.
He said the audit process is currently underway and involves detailed verification that takes several days. According to him, no irregularities have been found so far.
The trust has maintained that every donation received at the temple goes through a fixed verification process. It said the counting and checking of funds are carried out in the presence of bank officials and trust representatives, while the entire process is monitored through CCTV cameras.
The SIT will now examine all aspects of the claims and review the records related to Ram Mandir donations before submitting its findings to the Uttar Pradesh government within the prescribed timeline.
