Ayodhya Court Grants Police Custody in Ram Temple Donation Scandal

An Ayodhya Court authorized a one-day police custody of three accused in the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case to further the investigation. A Special Investigation Team found evidence of theft and pilferage, revealing 70 instances of alleged wrongdoing by employees, signaling widespread misconduct and inadequate security measures.

An Ayodhya court has approved a one-day police custody for three individuals—Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, and Karunesh Pandey—implicated in the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case. The decision comes after police sought a longer custody to delve deeper into the investigation surrounding the misuse of donated funds.

The Investigating Officer advocated for this custodial interrogation, deeming it crucial for advancing the inquiry. This request was supported by findings from a preliminary police interrogation of five detainees, which prompted officials to seek further questioning of the trio to uncover more information.

Simultaneously, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) presented an initial report to the Uttar Pradesh government, revealing prima facie evidence of financial discrepancies during donation handling. The inquiry examined multiple evidential sources, including CCTV footage, trust and bank officials' statements, and security protocols, pointing to significant security lapses.

The report highlights repetitive deceitful practices between April 27 and June 5, captured on CCTV, where employees concealed currency in clothes and footwear. It suggests similar incidents may have preceded this period but remain unverified due to missing earlier footage.

Failing to enforce security measures like biometric checks and personal belonging restrictions came to light as major gaps. The report identifies several individuals, including Avinash Shukla, as having apparent involvement in these acts.

In a separate development within the Trust, Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, Treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, announced the acceptance of resignations from key officials, signaling an internal shake-up.