Ayodhya Ram Temple Donation Embezzlement: FIR Registered, All 8 Named Accused Arrested

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered in connection with the alleged embezzlement of devotees' donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, with police arresting all eight persons named in the case, including the official responsible for cash counting at the temple's pilgrim facilitation centre.

The case was registered on Thursday on the basis of a preliminary report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Uttar Pradesh government earlier this week. The SIT had been tasked with probing allegations that cash donations made by devotees were systematically siphoned off through an organised racket.

According to police, those arrested include the cash-counting in-charge and several others allegedly associated with the handling, collection and transportation of donation money. Names of arrested persons are- Tinnu Yadav, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Manish Yadav, Subhash Srivastava, Karunesh Pandey and Ramshankar Mishra.

The accused have been booked on charges relating to criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal conspiracy and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators suspect that the alleged misappropriation took place over a period of time through manipulation of the donation collection process.

The arrests come barely two days after the SIT submitted its preliminary findings to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. While the contents of the report have not been made public, the registration of the FIR and subsequent arrests indicate that investigators found sufficient material to initiate criminal proceedings. Reports have also indicated that the SIT recommended structural changes in the management and monitoring of the temple's donation system to strengthen financial accountability.

The controversy has now reached the constitutional courts as multiple petitions seek independent investigations into the alleged financial irregularities.

Before the Allahabad High Court's Lucknow Bench, a public interest litigation has sought a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged embezzlement of monetary donations as well as gold and silver offerings received at the temple. The petitioner has contended that the matter involves public faith and substantial public contributions, warranting an independent investigation outside the state machinery. The high court has agreed to examine the plea, though no final order has yet been passed on the request for a CBI investigation.

The issue has also reached the Supreme Court. On Thursday, the apex court declined an oral request for urgent listing of a petition seeking a court-monitored investigation into the alleged financial irregularities involving the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The Bench asked the petitioner to approach the court again on June 29 for consideration of listing, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the allegations.

The Supreme Court petition seeks preservation of CCTV footage, digital payment records and other evidence connected with temple donations, besides requesting an independent investigation into the alleged misappropriation.

The FIR and arrests mark the first major criminal action arising from the donation embezzlement allegations.