What started as an allegation by a Samajwadi Party MLA has snowballed into a full-fledged investigation, with the filing of an FIR and the arrest of a close aide of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir Trust General Secretary Champat Rai.
Among the eight people arrested so far is Ramashankar Yadav, alias Tinnu, an aide to the trust’s general secretary, Champat Rai.
Opposition parties have also amped up their attack on the government, alleging that many valuables are now missing.
UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak countered the allegations, accusing the Opposition of appeasement politics and questioning why no one was asking about the donations collected for the Babri Masjid.
According to data presented by the Trust’s executive committee, it received donations worth ₹82.78 crore between April 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026.
Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in Ayodhya to visit the temple, on Thursday said items like sandals, jewelry, garlands, and lamps donated for Lord Ram were stolen from the temple.
The BJP-led UP government was quick to dismiss these allegations, terming them a “false narrative”.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday alleged that his party did not receive a receipt for a ₹1 crore donation it made to the temple trust.
An FIR was filed in connection with the case based on a complaint by the temple trust, and eight people have been arrested so far.
