Allegations of irregularities in the collection of donations to the Ram Temple snowballed into a major controversy after the arrest of eight men connected to the temple management, the recovery of nearly ₹80 lakh from their homes and the resignation of two prominent members of the temple trust.
The Uttar Pradesh Police lodged a first information report (FIR) on a complaint by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in connection with the allegations, naming an aide of the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai and seven others.
Rai and prominent trust member Anil Mishra resigned on Friday, said people aware of the matter. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad said it has no knowledge of its vice president Champat Rai’s resignation.
The controversy first surfaced on June 7 when Samajwadi Party leader Tej Narayan ‘Pawan’ Pandey alleged donations worth ₹5 crore to ₹7.5 crore were siphoned off from temple offerings.
The state government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the request of the temple trust, which conducted a preliminary inquiry in Ayodhya between June 15 and 20. The SIT scrutinised the entire donation management chain, including collection boxes, cash counting, storage, accounting procedures, access control and CCTV surveillance.
The preliminary inquiry flagged prima facie irregularities in the handling of cash and valuables offered by devotees.
