200 kg silver bricks stolen from Ayodhya's Ram Mandir? SIT probe's big reveal
Not only the embezzlement of donation funds, but questions have also been raised on the alleged disappearance of a large amount of donated silver bars
Not only the embezzlement of donation funds, but questions have also been raised on the alleged disappearance of a large amount of donated silver bars and bricks from the Ram Mandir by the opposition and the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA). Among them was a 4-kg silver brick donated by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray during the temple construction process. Now, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the case, has dismissed speculation that the silver bars, weighing around 200 kg, were stolen. Read Full Story So, what happened to the silver bricks and bars? Was chandi also part of the chanda chori? During its initial probe, the SIT failed to establish a clear trail of the donated silver bars. Sources previously told India Today that the investigators were unable to trace receipt records and determine where the silver bars were stored. WHAT SIT PROBE REVEALED ON SILVER BRICKS? As the probe deepened, the SIT found that most of the silver bricks received as donations were sent for melting. Temple records show that eight silver bricks listed under serial number 96 were sent for melting.
Another batch of silver bricks was sent to the Security Printing and Minting Corporation - an entity under the Finance Ministry that manufactures coins. The SIT also found a list bearing signatures of officials of both the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and the corporation, sources told India Today. Speculation on the whereabouts of the silver bars donated to the Ram Mandir gained traction after IBJA president Anurag Rastogi raised the issue. Rastogi claimed that 60 kg of silver bars, prepared with contributions from jewellers across India, were donated to the temple. He also claimed that he and his wife donated a silver lamp weighing 3 kg. Rastogi said the donations were not made for publicity, but purely out of faith for Ram Lalla. Last week, Rastogi came forward and claimed the records and current status of the silver items he had offered were not available. He claimed that the bars were not seen during the construction work or the foundation-laying ceremony. Rastogi also alleged that the silver lamp was not anywhere in the temple premises.
"We gave the silver with the request that it be used in the foundation during the bhumi pujan. However, when the bhumi pujan took place, we looked everywhere, but could not see that silver anywhere," Rastogi said. The case of the "missing" silver bricks gained momentum after Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut questioned the alleged disappearance of a 4-kg silver brick donated by the party for the construction of the temple. Raut alleged that Uddhav also donated Rs 1 crore in the presence of thousands of party workers and saints. "Serious questions over the missing 4 kg silver brick donated by Shiv Sena for the Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya... Yet, years later, no receipt or update from the trust. Where has it gone? Time for full investigation and accountability," Raut tweeted. SILVER DONATIONS IN 2 PHASES During its investigation, the SIT questioned Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu, a close aide of Ram temple trust chief Champat Rai, Krishnadev Tiwari and four priests. Tiwari, who oversees jewellery and offerings at the temple, denied any knowledge of the silver bars being stolen.
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