The investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has intensified after Uttar Pradesh Police arrested eight individuals connected to the counting of temple offerings. The arrests came days after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted its preliminary findings to the state government regarding alleged irregularities in handling donations received at the shrine.
The controversy, which initially drew sharp political reactions and denial from temple authorities, has now evolved into a major criminal investigation involving allegations of theft, breach of trust, conspiracy, and manipulation of donation records.
SIT Investigation Triggered After Allegations Surfaced
The dispute over the alleged siphoning of funds from the Ram Mandir first gained attention earlier this month.
On June 8, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak dismissed the allegations and described them as an attempt to spread misinformation.
He said, “Those trying to spread rumours about Shri Ram Temple are attempting to create a false narrative. The people of the state understand such politics.”
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust also denied wrongdoing at the time.
Trust general secretary Champat Rai stated that representatives from the Trust and the State Bank of India were conducting regular audits and that no discrepancies had emerged during the review process.
However, the matter escalated rapidly in the days that followed.
Uttar Pradesh Government Formed SIT on June 13
Following growing controversy, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team on June 13 after receiving a request from the temple trust.
The SIT later submitted its preliminary report to the government on June 23.
SIT member Vijay Vishwas Pant confirmed the submission of the report and stated:
“We have submitted the report to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home). This is an initial report and we have submitted it to him. The details are confidential, so we cannot disclose anything at the moment. We have made our findings available to him.”
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the contents of the report, stating that the findings are currently under review.
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Eight Accused Arrested in Ayodhya
Two days after the SIT report was submitted, police arrested eight individuals named in the FIR connected to the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple.
According to officials, all the accused were present in Ayodhya and were arrested late Thursday night.
A senior official told PTI, “All the accused were in Ayodhya itself and were arrested late Thursday night. Further questioning is underway. Police are preparing to present them before a magistrate.”
The accused arrested in the case are:
- Avinash Shukla
- Anukalp Mishra
- Lavkush Mishra
- Manish Kumar Yadav
- Karunesh Pandey
- Ramashankar Mishra
- Subhash Srivastava
- Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu
Officials stated that all eight individuals were associated with counting cash and valuables donated at the temple.
Charges Filed Under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
Police registered the case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The FIR includes charges under Section 306 related to theft by a clerk or servant of property in possession of the employer, Section 316 involving criminal breach of trust, Section 317 connected to dishonestly receiving stolen property, and Section 61 dealing with criminal conspiracy, among other provisions.
Authorities said the investigation remains active and further questioning of the accused is underway.
Opposition Calls FIR an “Eyewash”
Opposition leaders criticised the police action and alleged that the FIR does not fix responsibility on senior trust officials.
Critics described the case registration as an “eyewash” and questioned why the investigation had not directly named senior members of the trust, including general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra.
Authorities, however, have not made any public statement regarding those allegations.
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Key Details About the Arrested Individuals
Among the accused, Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu has emerged as one of the most discussed figures in the controversy.
Officials said Tinnu Yadav previously worked as a driver for Champat Rai and was associated with VHP’s Karsevakpuram, where donation counting activities took place.
According to allegations, keys to the donation boxes often remained with him, and investigators suspect he exercised significant control over the process because of his close association with trust members.
Tinnu Yadav has denied involvement in cash counting and blamed unnamed “jealous people” for the allegations.
Another accused, Ramashankar Mishra, was also involved in counting donations. Investigators allege that he conspired with employees and arranged for his son and son-in-law to participate in donation counting activities.
His son, Anukalp Mishra, was allegedly directly involved in counting donations and is also related to trustee Anil Mishra.
Police allege that Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra’s son-in-law, handled disposal of the allegedly embezzled money. Investigators also examined allegations that cash was recovered from his residence during the initial phase of the inquiry.
Authorities claim Avinash Shukla, described as a temple attendant, was involved in manipulation of funds and acted as an important member of the alleged syndicate. Police said Rs 5 lakh was recovered from his account.
Manish Kumar Yadav, identified as Tinnu Yadav’s nephew, also participated in donation counting, and investigators said stolen money was recovered from his house.
Former bank employee Subhash Srivastava reportedly supervised the cash-counting staff, while Karunesh Pandey is accused of manipulating receipts related to donations.
SBI and Private Agency Handled Cash Counting
The State Bank of India had been authorised by the temple trust to manage the counting of donations.
In turn, SBI engaged a private agency to carry out the counting process.
Temple authorities said offerings received through counters were accepted only against official receipts.
Earlier, temple trust camp office in-charge Prakash Gupta told IANS that any discrepancy, if proven, would likely be linked to counting of money deposited in donation boxes rather than receipt-based collections.
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Ram Temple Has Received Massive Donations Since Inauguration
The Ram Temple in Ayodhya has attracted large-scale donations since its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2024.
According to annual reports released in September 2025, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust recorded annual earnings of nearly Rs 327 crore during the financial year 2024-25.
The reports stated that donations contributed Rs 153 crore, while interest income accounted for Rs 173 crore.
Temple authorities also reported an average daily footfall of 70,000 to 80,000 visitors, with numbers rising two to three times during weekends and festival periods.
Officials said a 14-member team, including 11 bank employees and three representatives from the temple trust, was responsible for counting offerings placed in four donation boxes.
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