Ram Temple Donation Theft: Champat Rai Flags Lapses By SBI In Counting Process
Ram Temple Donation Theft: Champat Rai Flags Lapses By SBI In Counting Process Published By, Last Updated: July 07, 2026, 22:16 IST Champat Rai added
Ram Temple Donation Theft: Champat Rai Flags Lapses By SBI In Counting Process Published By, Last Updated: July 07, 2026, 22:16 IST Champat Rai added a caveat that the February 2025 guidelines were "written in haste" and noted that he himself was not a signatory to the final document. Rapid Read According to Champat Rai, joint guidelines for counting the massive volume of daily donations were meticulously codified in February 2025. (File photo) In a twist to the ongoing investigation into the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft, former trust general secretary Champat Rai has blamed the State Bank of India (SBI). In his official statement to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Rai alleged that the bank’s flagrant violation of core security protocols directly enabled the embezzlement of donation money. Rai’s statement comes on the heels of an emergency meeting on July 6, where the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust formally accepted his resignation alongside fellow trustee Anil Mishra. ‘Tables, Chairs, & Outfits With Pockets’ Rai, who is currently being interrogated by the SIT regarding the financial leak, pointed out severe structural and operational lapses allegedly committed by SBI’s Ayodhya Branch, NDTV reported.
According to Rai, joint guidelines for counting the massive volume of daily donations were meticulously codified in February 2025. However, he claimed bank officials systematically bypassed these rules The Clothing Loophole: “All the banks in the country must have some rules for the chest room. The rules of the State Bank of India must be strict… special searches while entering and exiting, clothes without pockets," Rai asserted. “In the temple’s case, the bank did not follow this. The clothes provided by the bank had pockets." The Counting Flaw: Rai stated that the local branch advised staff to execute the counting process while sitting on chairs with the cash spread over tables—a physical arrangement he claims significantly minimised surveillance visibility and aided the theft. Housekeeping Staff Used: Rai further pointed out that the individuals deployed by the bank to handle the sacred currency were strangely designated as “housekeeping staff." “As per the MoU, all security measures were taken from our end—like CCTV cameras were installed in the counting room and a door with iron bars was installed on it," Rai argued, defending the Trust’s own administrative oversight.
Rai Demands Bank’s Accountability Rai alleged deep-rooted institutional laxity, questioning how high-ranking financial executives failed to police their own chest-room protocols. “Perhaps the higher officials of the bank didn’t have any knowledge of this guideline letter; otherwise, the mistake would have been caught at some level," he said, demanding that senior SBI management explain the systemic breach. Rai added a caveat that the February 2025 guidelines were “written in haste" and noted that he himself was not a signatory to the final document. What Lies Ahead For Trust While the SIT continues its investigation into the case, the Trust is moving swiftly to permanently patch its leadership vacuum. Currently, former Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer Krishna Mohan is acting as the interim general secretary. The Trust is scheduled to convene its next high-stakes meeting on July 22, where a final decision is expected on whether to make Mohan the permanent general secretary of the apex temple body. At the July 6 meeting, the Trust also decided to strengthen its administrative and financial systems, including appointing a chief executive officer and streamlining the management of donations and records.
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