Ram Mandir Donation Row: The Uttar Pradesh Home Department has forwarded the SIT’s final report on the Ram Temple donation theft case to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, closing out a probe that has already led to eight arrests and put the temple’s cash-handling systems under sharp scrutiny.
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What the Investigation Found
CCTV footage examined by the three-member SIT, led by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant along with IG Kiran S. and Special Secretary Neel Ratan Kumar, showed nearly 70 instances of theft in the donation counting room between April 27 and June 5, 2026. Counting staff were seen concealing bundles and loose notes in their clothing, shoes, and personal belongings during routine counting sessions.
Systemic Lapses Flagged
Beyond individual theft, the report highlights major procedural failures despite a detailed MoU and standard operating procedure signed with the State Bank of India. Investigators found that proper frisking and security checks were not being enforced at entry and exit points of the counting room, pointing to a broader breakdown in supervision on the bank’s end.
Where the Case Stands
Eight individuals, including Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, and Lavkush Mishra, remain in custody, arrested after an FIR was registered following the SIT’s preliminary report in June. The SIT also examined the roles of former Trust general secretary Champat Rai and ex-member Anil Mishra, both of whom resigned in late June amid the allegations, but neither has been named as an accused in the final report. A five-year re-audit of the Trust’s accounts, covering construction spending as well as gold and silver donations, is separately underway.
Political Fallout Continues
Ram Mandir Donation Row:The case has drawn sharp opposition criticism, with Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge calling it a serious matter given the scale of donations and land handed to the Trust by the central government. The Trust is now expected to review the SIT’s recommendations and decide on further corrective action, including possible changes to its cash-handling arrangement with SBI.
