Ram Mandir donation row: Probe team flags lapses in counting cash, CCTV checks
A three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft and misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has found serious lapses at multiple
A three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft and misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has found serious lapses at multiple levels, according to sources. The probe has reportedly flagged negligence in the handling of donation cash, employee verification, CCTV monitoring and the movement of offerings from the temple premises to the trust office and eventually to the bank. Read Full Story According to sources, the SIT, constituted on June 13 by the Uttar Pradesh government, found that the State Bank of India (SBI), which manages banking operations for the Ram Temple Trust, was responsible for sorting, stacking and counting currency notes received as offerings. For this process, SBI engaged employees through a private security agency based in Varanasi.
However, the agency allegedly deployed workers from Ayodhya for the cash-counting process. Sources said these workers were hired based on recommendations from people associated with the Ram Temple Trust. The SIT has also examined the hiring process and alleged irregularities in staff appointments. Sources said Anukul Mishra, who was employed at the Ram Temple Trust, had appointed his brother-in-law Lavkush Mishra for the cash-counting work. The probe team also found inadequate checking of workers while entering and leaving duty, with no proper system to verify what employees were carrying into or taking out of the premises. The SIT further revealed that employees involved in counting donations were allegedly sitting inside the trust room in regular clothes despite a prescribed dress code.
Although uniforms had been issued and a dress code was established, it was reportedly not followed. CCTV monitoring also came under scrutiny during the investigation. The sources claimed that employees could allegedly stand in front of cameras before carrying out thefts, indicating lapses in surveillance and monitoring. During the investigation, the SIT also examined records related to gold, silver ornaments, precious stones and other valuables offered by devotees. Temple sources claimed investigators found discrepancies in documentation and accounting of such offerings. Sources said some trust officials were unable to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the inventory, storage and accounting of valuable items received as offerings. The probe has also looked into allegations of irregularities during the Maha Kumbh period in January-February 2025, when the temple witnessed a massive rise in footfall, with reports suggesting nearly 10 lakh devotees visited daily during parts of the period.
The BriefWire