Ayodhya court extends judicial custody of eight accused in temple donations case.

A local court in Ayodhya on Monday remanded all eight persons arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations offered at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple to 14 days' judicial custody, extending their detention as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues its probe into the alleged diversion of devotees' offerings.

The accused had earlier been remanded to judicial custody till June 29 after their arrest last week. On Monday, they were produced before the court upon expiry of the earlier remand, following which the court extended their judicial custody by another 14 days.

The eight accused are facing allegations of theft, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy in connection with the alleged misappropriation of cash and valuables donated by devotees at the Ram temple.

The case stems from an FIR registered at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station on the complaint of a Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust functionary after an internal inquiry allegedly unearthed irregularities in the handling of temple donations.

According to the investigation, nearly ₹80 lakh has been recovered from the accused, barring one individual against whom no recovery was made but who is alleged to have been part of the conspiracy. Investigators are also examining the financial transactions and assets of the accused as the probe widens into the alleged embezzlement.

The case has triggered multiple legal proceedings and administrative actions. Before the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, a public interest litigation has been filed seeking an independent investigation into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations. The petitions seek, among other reliefs, a court-monitored probe into the alleged diversion of cash and valuables offered by devotees and directions to strengthen transparency in the management of temple donations.

The controversy has also reached the Supreme Court, where a petition seeking registration of an FIR and a court-monitored CBI investigation into the alleged scam was mentioned for urgent listing on Monday. The top court declined to accord an out-of-turn hearing, observing that there was no urgency warranting immediate intervention and leaving the matter to be considered in the ordinary course.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the Faizabad Bar Association unanimously resolved not to represent any of the eight accused in the case. The Association also warned that any member appearing for the accused would face disciplinary action and imposed a penalty of ₹5 lakh for violating the resolution. It further passed a resolution asking Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Ex- General Secretary Champat Rai, Ex-Trust member Anil Mishra and Accounts Officer Gopal Rao to leave Ayodhya within three days, failing which it warned of protests.

Notably, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Saturday announced that Champat Rai and Anil Mishra had stepped down from their respective positions amid the ongoing controversy. The Trust has also initiated internal measures as the SIT continues to investigate the alleged siphoning of temple donations.

The investigation has intensified over the past few days, with police conducting searches at the residences of all eight accused and scrutinising their assets. Investigators are also examining the functioning of the temple's donation counting mechanism and the role of officials associated with the receipt and deposit of offerings, as they seek to determine the full extent of the alleged conspiracy

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