Ram Mandir donation theft: Cops probe bribe-for-job charge in recruitment drive
Ayodhya Police have expanded their probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations linked to the Ram Temple, with officials now examining allegations that bribes were
Ayodhya Police have expanded their probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations linked to the Ram Temple, with officials now examining allegations that bribes were taken for appointments to various posts at the temple establishment. According to sources, the new angle emerged during the questioning of arrested accused Avinash Shukla. His statements reportedly led officials to examine the role of a member of the temple trust whose name surfaced repeatedly during the interrogation. Read Full Story Police are investigating allegations that around 125 people were recruited for different positions at the temple establishment and that some candidates may have paid money to secure jobs. Officials are trying to determine whether an organised recruitment racket operated under the guise of temple appointments and whether candidates were charged money in exchange for employment. The findings of this probe are expected to form a key part of the detailed investigation report being prepared by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). Sources said police have so far not found appointment letters, formal service agreements or other employment-related documents for several recruited individuals while examining records linked to the appointments.
This has prompted officials to scrutinise the recruitment process in detail and identify the official under whose directions the appointments were allegedly made. Police are also preparing to question the trust member suspected of influencing the recruitment process. Officials have obtained a list of people appointed and are verifying their documents, employment records and the circumstances surrounding their recruitment. As part of the financial investigation, police will examine bank accounts and financial transactions of the recruited individuals and others suspected to be part of the alleged recruitment network. Investigators will look for any exchange of money before or after appointments and trace the alleged flow of funds through banking records and other financial channels. The scope of the probe has also widened to include scrutiny of assets linked to the trust member under investigation. Sources said officials are verifying whether there was any disproportionate increase in assets after the person became associated with the temple trust and whether any such assets can be linked to alleged misuse of donation funds, commissions or the suspected recruitment racket.
Meanwhile, arrested accused Anukalp Mishra and Lav Kush Mishra, who are currently in judicial custody, are also being investigated for their alleged role in the recruitment process. Police suspect they may have played a role in facilitating appointments and are examining whether they were part of a larger conspiracy. Sources said both accused are relatives of a trust member under scrutiny. RAM MANDIR DONATION CASE The alleged financial irregularities came to light after an SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings, following which an FIR was registered on June 25. Eight accused were subsequently arrested. Police said nearly Rs 80 lakh in cash, along with foreign currency, has been recovered from six of them so far. The investigation is ongoing, with officials maintaining that the private agency involved only supplied staff to the State Bank of India branch managing donations and had no role in their subsequent deployment. The State Bank of India, which handles donation-related transactions, has also come under scrutiny over personnel hired through a private agency, with some appointments allegedly linked to trust officials.
The BriefWire