'I Installed Hidden Cameras To Catch Ram Mandir Donation Theft': Champat Rai Claims Betrayal

Former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai has defended himself during police questioning in the alleged Ram Temple donation misappropriation case, claiming he was the person who uncovered the theft by ordering the installation of hidden surveillance cameras.

According to sources familiar with the investigation, Rai told investigators that he had been “betrayed” by people he trusted and insisted he had no role in the alleged embezzlement of devotees’ donations. “I was betrayed. It was I who had installed hidden cameras to catch the theft,” Rai is learnt to have told police during his questioning.

Read More: Ram Mandir Probe: ‘Ramrajya Kosh’ Donation Box With QR Code Recovered From Accused’s Home

His statement

comes as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues to widen its probe into one of the biggest controversies surrounding the Ram Temple since its consecration.

Champat Rai, Anil Mishra Questioned Separately

Police separately questioned Champat Rai and Trust member Anil Mishra as part of the ongoing investigation.

Sources said investigators sought documents from Mishra relating to temple administration, donation handling procedures and financial records. Rai, meanwhile, was questioned about the sequence of events after the alleged theft first came to light, the functioning of the donation counting system and the Trust’s internal response.

At present, police are treating Rai as a key witness and have not named him as an accused in the FIR. Investigators are examining whether there were any procedural lapses in the handling of donations and whether existing safeguards were adequate.

‘Hidden Cameras Exposed the Theft’

Rai’s claim aligns with one of the earliest developments in the case.

According to investigation sources, Trust officials began suspecting irregularities after noticing repeated mismatches between donations received and the amounts eventually deposited in banks. To verify whether money was being siphoned off during the counting process, hidden cameras were reportedly installed inside the donation counting room.

The covert surveillance allegedly captured employees stealing cash and jewellery before the donations were officially accounted for, providing investigators with the first concrete evidence of the alleged racket.

Police believe the surveillance footage eventually helped identify several of the accused.

Lawyers To Move Complaint Against Champat Rai

Even as Rai has denied wrongdoing, pressure on the former Trust leadership continues to mount. On Wednesday, lawyers associated with the Faizabad Bar Association are scheduled to march from the court premises to the Ram Janmabhoomi Police Station at around 11 am to submit a complaint seeking registration of an FIR against Champat Rai.

The proposed complaint will also name Trust member Dr Anil Mishra and special invitee member Dr Gopal Rao.

The lawyers have said that if police refuse to register a case, they will approach the competent court seeking directions for an FIR. They have also warned of launching an agitation if no criminal case is registered against the three individuals.

The move marks a fresh escalation in the controversy, even though investigators have so far not named Rai or Mishra as accused in the existing FIR.

How The Alleged Theft Was Carried Out

The investigation has revealed what police describe as a carefully executed operation inside one of the country’s most heavily guarded religious institutions.

According to investigators, accused employees allegedly exploited blind spots in the CCTV network while handling donations inside the counting room. During interrogation, one of the arrested accused reportedly confessed to hiding stolen cash inside washrooms before taking it out of the premises later, thereby avoiding suspicion during routine checks.

Police are also examining allegations that CCTV footage was either unavailable or not preserved in accordance with prescribed procedures during certain periods, although the Trust has maintained that it acted immediately after detecting irregularities.