Ram Mandir Temple Trust Theft: Suspects Deleted Chats, Formatted Phones As SIT Closed In

Published 28 June 2026 · india

Ram Mandir Temple Trust Theft: Suspects Deleted Chats, Formatted Phones As SIT Closed In Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 19:28 IST Police on

Ram Mandir Temple Trust Theft: Suspects Deleted Chats, Formatted Phones As SIT Closed In Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 19:28 IST Police on Sunday conducted simultaneous raids at the residences of all eight people arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of temple donations. Rapid Read Police officials conduct a search operation at the residence of an accused in connection with an alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. (IMAGE: PTI) The suspects accused of stealing donations meant for the deity at the Ayodhya Ram Temple allegedly attempted to erase digital evidence as authorities intensified a Special Investigation Team (SIT)-led probe into the case. Broadcaster NDTV, which first reported the development, said several of the accused had deleted WhatsApp chats and other data from their mobile phones, while some had gone a step further by completely formatting their devices in an apparent attempt to conceal evidence.

Police on Sunday conducted simultaneous raids at the residences of all eight people arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of temple donations, according to police sources. Teams, accompanied by local magistrates, searched the homes of the accused, including Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla and Ramashankar Yadav. The searches came two days after a court in Ayodhya remanded all eight accused to judicial custody till June 29. Police are expected to seek their custodial remand when they are produced before the court on Monday as investigators continue to trace the alleged money trail. The scandal, centred on allegations of systematic theft of devotees’ offerings by temple staff and bank employees, has emerged as the latest flashpoint between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition, with rival parties demanding accountability from those overseeing the temple’s administration.

In a significant development, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra stepped down, taking “moral responsibility" for the controversy. Their resignations came after an FIR was registered on June 25 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over the alleged misappropriation of donations. On Friday, a special court in Ayodhya remanded eight suspects, including public servants and State Bank of India employees, to judicial custody until June 29. Authorities have so far recovered Rs 79.85 lakh from the accused. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses.