Ram Mandir Donations Row: Court Sends 8 Accused to Judicial Custody
The accused, arrested by the SIT in the alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations, have been remanded to judicial custody as the probe continues.
SIT has recovered ₹79.85 lakh from accused in Ayodhya Ram temple donation theft case.
Eight persons named in the FIR registered in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations collected at the Ram temple in Ayodhya have been remanded to judicial custody till June 29 by a local court, marking a significant development in the high-profile investigation.
The accused were produced before the special court on Friday after their arrest by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing allegations that cash and valuables offered by devotees at the temple were siphoned off over a period of time. Court sent all eight accused to judicial custody for three days. Investigators have also recovered around ₹79.85 lakh in cash during the course of the probe.
The eight arrested individuals include former employees and contractual staff associated with the temple's donation collection and counting system.
The SIT is examining the functioning of the donation counting unit and the alleged methods through which money meant for the temple was diverted. Initial findings indicate that the suspected irregularities may have continued over several months before they came to light.
The FIR was registered following allegations that donations made by devotees in cash, along with other valuables, had been misappropriated. Investigators are scrutinising financial records, CCTV footage and other documentary evidence to establish the extent of the alleged fraud and identify whether additional individuals played a role in the operation.
The controversy had already reached the courts before the FIR was registered. Earlier this month, a public interest litigation was filed before the Allahabad High Court seeking a CBI investigation into the alleged embezzlement of cash, gold and silver donations received at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. The petitioner also sought a forensic audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), a court-monitored probe, and directions for structural reforms in the management of temple donations, alleging large-scale financial irregularities in the handling of devotees' offerings.
The issue also reached the Supreme Court, where a separate petition sought directions for registration of an FIR and a CBI-led investigation into the alleged financial irregularities. While declining the request for an urgent hearing, the top court had assured the petitioner that the matter would be listed in due course. The plea sought an independent probe into the alleged misappropriation of donation funds and accountability of those responsible for managing the temple's finances.