Ram Mandir Donations Row: Faizabad Bar Seeks FIR Against Champat Rai, Trust Officials

The Faizabad Bar Association has approached the Ayodhya police seeking registration of a fresh FIR against senior functionaries of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, including its former General Secretary Champat Rai, alleging their involvement in the alleged embezzlement of donations made by devotees at the Ram temple.

The complaint, submitted at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station by Faizabad Bar Association General Secretary Advocate Shailendra Kumar Jaiswal, also names former trustee Anil Mishra and temple administrator Gopal Rao. It seeks criminal action against them, alleging that they played a key role in the alleged theft of cash and valuables offered by devotees.

The latest move comes days after the Bar Association resolved that none of its members would represent the eight persons arrested in connection with the alleged theft of temple donations. The association has maintained that the investigation must extend beyond those already arrested and examine the role of senior officials responsible for managing the temple's donation collection and counting process.

In its complaint, the Bar Association states that its members have long been associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and that many advocates had actively participated in the movement, contributed financially towards the temple and even faced imprisonment during the agitation. It claims that reports of theft of devotees' offerings have deeply hurt the sentiments of the legal fraternity as well as millions of devotees.

According to the complaint, the three trust functionaries exercised control over the donation counting process by deploying persons close to them, thereby facilitating the alleged theft of cash and precious jewellery donated at the temple. The Bar Association has alleged that the involvement of the named officials is evident from the manner in which the donation collection and counting exercise was conducted and has sought a detailed investigation into their role.

The complaint also raises questions over alleged recoveries made before the registration of the FIR. It alleges that ₹10 lakh linked to the alleged theft was recovered from cow dung at one stage and that another ₹58 lakh was recovered on June 5 this year, but neither recovery was reflected in the FIR or publicly disclosed. The association has alleged that suppression of these facts points towards an attempt to shield the real beneficiaries of the alleged embezzlement.

Further, the lawyers have questioned the functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the case. According to the complaint, the SIT failed to identify those allegedly responsible for orchestrating the theft and instead limited the investigation to persons who were directly involved in handling the stolen money. The association has alleged that the investigation has so far targeted only intermediaries while leaving out those who allegedly planned and supervised the operation.

The Bar Association has urged the police to register an FIR against the trust officials and carry out an impartial investigation, stating that strict action is necessary to preserve public confidence in the Ram temple and protect the faith of devotees.

The complaint marks the latest development in the ongoing donation theft case, in which Uttar Pradesh Police had earlier registered an FIR following the findings of a preliminary inquiry by an SIT. Eight persons associated with the donation collection and counting process have since been arrested, while investigators have claimed recoveries of cash, gold, silver and foreign currency during the probe.

The SIT is also examining the movement of funds and has reportedly ordered a re-audit of the trust's accounts as part of the continuing investigation.

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.

[Inputs: India Today]