Ayodhya Lawyers Protest and SIT Probes Ram Temple Donation Embezzlement
In Ayodhya, a donation embezzlement scandal at the Ram Temple has led to arrests, lawyer protests, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. The Ayodhya Bar Association refuses to represent the eight accused, threatening a ₹5 lakh fine for any lawyer who does. The SIT found CCTV evidence of staff stealing cash, citing ignored security protocols. Three additional suspects were granted one-day police custody. Trust officials Champat Rai and Anil Mishra resigned amid demands for their arrest.
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Ram Temple Embezzlement Case: SIT Formed to Probe Missing Donation Funds
The Ram Temple embezzlement case involves allegations that cash and valuables donated by devotees at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya were systematically stolen by temple personnel and cash-counting staff during counting and sorting. The controversy erupted on June 7, 2026, after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav claimed crores of rupees were missing. In response, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 13, 2026, to investigate the alleged misappropriation of donation funds. The case has drawn significant public scrutiny and political uproar.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.SIT Report Finds Staff Stole Cash at Ram Temple Due to Ignored SOPs
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government has found prima facie evidence of theft and pilferage during the counting of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. The SIT report, submitted on June 23 and accessed by The Hindu, reviewed CCTV footage from April 27 to June 5 showing counting staff hiding currency notes in their clothes, pockets, and shoes. The report documented around 70 instances of suspected theft and noted that security protocols such as frisking, biometric attendance, and CCTV surveillance were not enforced, creating an environment conducive to theft. Six individuals—Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, and Ramashankar Mishra—were identified as having prima facie involvement. Eight people have been arrested. The SIT is likely to conduct a re-audit of the trust's accounts for the past five years, covering construction expenditure and donated valuables.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Court Grants One-Day Police Custody of Three Accused in Ram Temple Donation Embezzlement Case
A court in Ayodhya on July 7, 2026, granted one-day police custody for three individuals—Karunesh Pandey, Lavkush Mishra, and Anukalp Mishra—who are currently in judicial custody in the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case. The police had requested a longer seven-day custody to investigate missing donated funds, citing findings from preliminary interrogations. The accused, including former close aides of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary, are among eight individuals charged with theft, criminal breach of trust, cheating, and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The FIR was registered on June 25, 2026, following a preliminary investigation by a Special Investigation Team appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government. The accused were responsible for counting cash and valuables donated by devotees at the temple.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Ayodhya Police to Seek Custody of Three More in Ram Temple Donation Embezzlement Case
Ayodhya Police are preparing to seek custodial remand of three additional suspects—Karunesh Pandey, Anukalp Mishra, and Lav Kush Mishra—in the ongoing investigation into alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted a preliminary report to the Uttar Pradesh government finding prima facie evidence of theft during donation counting. The inquiry reviewed CCTV footage from April 27 to June 5, which repeatedly showed counting personnel concealing currency notes in clothes, pockets, and shoes, with around 70 documented instances of theft or pilferage. The report noted that prescribed security measures like frisking and biometric attendance were not effectively implemented. Six individuals were identified as having prima facie involvement. Separately, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust accepted the resignations of General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Ayodhya lawyers protest, demand FIR against Ram Temple trust officials over alleged fund embezzlement
On July 2, 2026, dozens of lawyers from the Faizabad Bar Association in Ayodhya held a protest march and stormed the Ram Janmabhoomi police station, demanding an FIR against Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, trust member Anil Mishra, Gopal Rao, and Krishna Dev Giri over alleged embezzlement of donation funds meant for the Ram Temple. The lawyers submitted a petition and chanted slogans, while police attempted to pacify them by assuring legal action. The Bar Association had previously warned that lawyers representing the accused would face a ₹5 lakh penalty. The Congress party backed the demand, accusing the BJP government of protecting powerful individuals. The lawyers warned of a nationwide movement if the case is not registered promptly.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Ayodhya Lawyers Refuse to Represent Ram Temple Donation Embezzlement Accused
The Ayodhya Bar Association has declared that no lawyer will represent the eight accused in the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case, imposing a fine of ₹5 lakh on any advocate who does. The decision was announced after an emergency meeting on June 29, 2026, by association president Kalika Prasad Mishra. Some advocates also demanded that former trust officials Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rai leave Ayodhya within three days or face a city blockade. The eight accused, including close aides of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, have been arrested and sent to judicial custody. They are charged with theft, criminal breach of trust, cheating, and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for allegedly embezzling donations collected from cash boxes at the temple.
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