Champat Rai breaks silence after SIT clean chit: What all happened in last 24 hours
Just when it appeared that the controversy surrounding the alleged irregularities in the Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust was beginning to settle, General Secretary Champat Rai
Just when it appeared that the controversy surrounding the alleged irregularities in the Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust was beginning to settle, General Secretary Champat Rai broke his silence with a strongly worded public response, triggering a fresh round of political and organisational debate. His statement came a day after the Special Investigation Team's preliminary report reportedly gave him a clean chit, shifting the spotlight onto other aspects of the probe and, in particular, trust member Anil Mishra. Read Full Story CHAMPAT RAI'S FIRST PUBLIC RESPONSE In his first official reaction since the controversy erupted, Champat Rai posted an open letter on X addressed to Ram devotees. Calling the allegations against him "baseless", he said he would soon respond to every accusation in a "point-by-point and chronological manner". He also referred to his 41 years as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak and said he had been associated with the Ayodhya Ram Temple movement since 1991. LEAKED STATEMENT SHIFTS FOCUS Soon after Rai's post, parts of the written statement he had submitted before the SIT surfaced. According to the leaked document, Rai distanced himself from the process of counting donations collected in temple donation boxes and depositing the money in banks.
He claimed he was not a signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the bank and had no role in the procedures related to handling cash or changes allegedly made in the cash collection and security process. The statement also claimed that Rai was unaware of the operational arrangements involving the bank. The leaked document has intensified scrutiny of trust member Anil Mishra, who is reportedly the signatory to the agreement with the bank. ANIL MISHRA UNDER SCANNER The SIT's preliminary findings have reportedly raised serious questions over Anil Mishra's role. Sources said he has been served a notice and is expected to be questioned by the SIT as part of the investigation into the alleged irregularities involving temple donations. While Rai appears to have received relief in the preliminary report, Mishra remains under the scanner as investigators continue their probe. TRUST DEFENDS CHAMPAT RAI Trust treasurer Govind Giri, speaking exclusively to Aaj Tak, defended Champat Rai. Describing him as "spotless but stubborn", Giri admitted there may have been lapses at Rai's level but insisted they did not amount to wrongdoing.
"He may have made mistakes out of negligence, but he cannot be guilty. He has not done anything wrong," Giri said. During the recent trust meeting, members also praised Rai's contribution to the construction and management of the Ram Temple. HIGH-VOLTAGE DRAMA BEFORE TRUST MEETING The trust meeting itself was preceded by intense discussions after differences emerged within the organisation. Trust chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was reportedly upset and had to be persuaded by senior office-bearers to attend the meeting. Several saints associated with the trust were also convinced to participate after hours of deliberations. Before the meeting, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das issued a letter expressing deep anguish over the alleged theft of donations. He said he had complete faith in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure appropriate action against those found guilty. There was also uncertainty over whether trust member and Nirmohi Akhara mahant Mahant Dinendra Das would attend the meeting, though he eventually participated. TRUST RELEASES RECORD OF DONATIONS Following the SIT's preliminary findings, the trust released a detailed record of jewellery and valuable gifts received as offerings at the temple.
The BriefWire