‘Big Sharks’ at play? Ayodhya Temple donation scam sparks fierce political dogfight

NEW DELHI: A special investigative team has been constituted to launch a watertight probe into the multi-crore donation heist at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The investigation will involve a comprehensive forensic audit of all offerings—including cash, jewellery, and other valuables—received by the temple authorities since 2020.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was officially formed by the Central Government on February 5, 2020, following which Champat Rai took charge as its General Secretary. The current probe will scrutinise the entire financial trail since the inception of the trust.

A dedicated team of expert auditors has been deployed to cross-verify the temple’s physical inventory against financial logs. The investigation will specifically look into a high-profile complaint involving 200 silver bricks, each weighing one kilogram, donated by Sindhi traders. Allegations have surfaced that no official receipts were issued to the donors upon receiving these valuable items.

In a major development, the Trust has officially confirmed the resignations of its General Secretary, Champat Rai, and trust member, Anil Mishra. The confirmation brings clarity to the situation after another prominent trust member, Mahant Dinendra Das, had initially denied reports of their stepping down. The fallout and future administrative restructuring will be discussed extensively during the upcoming high-level trust meeting scheduled for July 11. Meanwhile, the Trust issued a statement assuring the public that the gold and silver ornaments offered by devotees remain perfectly secure in the temple vaults.

Investigative agencies have unraveled a highly coordinated inside operation used to systematically siphon off temple funds, leading to the arrest of eight individuals so far. Among those taken into custody are temple staff who were specifically deployed to count daily donations. According to investigators, the accused managed to evade CCTV surveillance by hiding cash inside their clothing. The stolen money was then transported and temporarily stashed inside restrooms within the temple complex before being smuggled out of the premises at a later time.

The net has also widened to include banking personnel involved in managing the temple's finances. Five bank employees, officially tasked with securely transferring the collected donation money into the temple lockers, have been placed under strict surveillance. Sources indicate that these employees have already undergone preliminary interrogation as authorities work to uncover the full scope of the insider network.

The unfolding scandal has triggered sharp political reactions, with opposition leaders demanding accountability from the highest levels of the administration.

"Big sharks might be involved in this massive heist. A comprehensive and deep-rooted investigation is absolutely necessary to bring the real culprits to light."

— Priyanka Gandhi, Congress Leader