Ram Mandir Trust chief Champat Rai resigns as alleged donation siphoning row escalates

The resignations came a day after eight people were arrested in connection with the alleged siphoning of donations from Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, following a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter.

The arrests follow a preliminary report submitted by the SIT, which was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

The SIT submitted its initial findings on June 23, following which an FIR was registered two days later naming eight accused.

Eight named in FIR

Those named in the FIR are Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, according to an NDTV report.

Ram Shankar Yadav, also known as Tinnu Yadav, is the former driver of the Trust's General Secretary, Champat Rai.

According to police, the accused were involved in counting cash donations and valuables offered by devotees at the temple.

They have been arrested, and further interrogation is underway.

How the controversy unfolded

The issue first gained political attention after the Samajwadi Party alleged irregularities in the management of donations received at the Ram Mandir.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that crores of rupees from devotees' offerings were going missing and demanded a judicial probe into the matter. He also questioned the silence of both the Trust and the Uttar Pradesh government over the allegations.

At the time, the BJP rejected the accusations, calling them politically motivated.

"Those trying to spread rumours about Shri Ram Temple are attempting to create a false narrative. The people of the state understand such politics," Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak had said on June 8 as quoted by NDTV.

Trust sought probe after allegations intensified

As the controversy gathered momentum, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust requested a formal investigation, stating that rumours circulating on social media were intended to tarnish the temple's image and hurt the sentiments of devotees.

Samajwadi Party claims vindication

Following the arrests, the Samajwadi Party said the developments validated its earlier allegations.

Party spokesperson Mohammad Azam said the arrests amounted to an acknowledgment that theft had taken place at the temple and described the action as a victory for devotees seeking transparency and accountability.