Ram Mandir Donation Row Probe Widens As Police Recover Car Purchased With Embezzled Funds

Ram Temple Donation Row: The probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya has intesified after Ayodhya Police recovered an SUV allegedly purchased using embezzled temple donations.

According to police sources, the vehicle, a Maruti Brezza, bearing registration number UP42AP6054, was bought with the stolen money but registered in the name of Shukla’s brother, Abhishek. The SUV has now been seized as part of the ongoing investigation.

#WATCH | Ram Mandir donations alleged embezzlement case: Visuals from Ayodhya’s Ram Janmabhoomi Police Station, where a car reportedly belonging to one of the arrested accused, Avinash Shukla, has been brought. pic.twitter.com/VnsvYoQnnS

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3, 2026

The recovery was made after Shukla, who was taken into police custody on a 24-hour remand, was questioned for nearly 13 hours. Investigators said the sustained interrogation yielded several crucial leads in the case.

During the remand period, police took Shukla to multiple locations, including a yoga centre in Kaushalpuri and the 14-Kosi Parikrama Marg, where he allegedly identified spots where the stolen donation money was divided among the accused.

Investigators are now examining whether other assets were also purchased using the misappropriated funds as they continue to trace the money trail.

Police had obtained Shukla’s custody after producing him before a court on Thursday. Officials said the remand was sought to uncover the alleged diversion of temple donations and identify other individuals involved in the conspiracy.

Ram Temple Donation Row

The case centres on allegations that cash and valuables donated to the temple may have been misappropriated. Questions have been raised over the handling of 70 kg of silver, 1,250 kg of gold, Rs 200 crore in cash and other donated items, including offerings linked to Lord Ram’s idol and sacred padukas.

Champat Rai resigned as the former general secretary of the temple trust following the SIT probe into the alleged donation theft. Meanwhile, lawyers in Ayodhya are preparing to file a complaint against Champat Rai demanding registration of an FIR over the alleged irregularities.

Eight people associated with the temple’s donation collection and counting process have been arrested so far, while the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of devotees’ contributions is continuing.

So far, investigators have recovered substantial amounts of cash from the accused, including Rs 20.39 lakh from Avinash Shukla, Rs 18.07 lakh from Karunesh Pandey, Rs 16.82 lakh from Anukalp Mishra, Rs 14.25 lakh from Lavkush Mishra, Rs 7.32 lakh from Ramashankar Mishra and Rs 1 lakh from Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu.

Police have also seized around 11 grams of gold, 375 grams of silver, and USD 1,121 during the investigation.

In another key recovery, investigators earlier seized a donation box labelled “Ramrajya Kosh” bearing a Paytm QR code from a yoga centre in Ayodhya where Shukla had reportedly been staying for nearly a decade.

The alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple came to light on June 7. An FIR was registered on June 25 following a preliminary report submitted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government.

(With inputs from agencies)