Times Now S.I.T Exposes Massive Accountability Lapses In Ram Mandir Trust Via Undercover Sting 'Operation Chanda Chori'

NEW DELHI, 03 July, 26: Amid growing national outrage over a high-profile donation theft at the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, a major undercover sting operation by the Times Now Special Investigation Team has exposed severe operational lapses, compromised security protocols, and a lack of financial accountability within the trust's inner workings.The investigation, codenamed 'Operation Chanda Chori,' reveals that despite public assertions of a cleanup, backroom operations at the trust guest house continue to bypass standard legal and financial checks, opening the door for untraceable transactions involving precious metals.Key Revelations from 'Operation Chanda Chori'Posing as wealthy donors from Kanpur, the Times Now S.I.T gained

access to the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust guest house. Armed with hidden cameras, carrying fake gold jewelry, the undercover team exposed seven critical operational vulnerabilities:Shadow LeadershipDespite offering his resignation and staying out of the public eye, General Secretary Champat Rai remains actively in charge, running operations and holding internal meetings from the guest house alongside close aide Anil Mishra.Bypassing Financial Paper TrailsTrust officials actively accepted gold donations without demanding original purchase bills, informing undercover reporters that a 'duplicate bill' or makeshift paperwork would suffice.Forced Zero-Accountability ClausesDevotees donating gold were actively persuaded to register their items as a standard 'donation' without official documentation. Crucially, the trust demanded a written assurance stripping the donor of any legal right to question the ultimate fate or usage of their gold.Compromised SurveillanceClose aides of the trust leadership openly assured the undercover team that CCTV cameras and surveillance footage at the venue 'can be managed' to bypass public or legal scrutiny.Stakeholder Responses & Political FalloutThe broadcast of the sting operation has sent immediate shockwaves through national political circles, triggering a fierce war of words between the ruling administration and the opposition.Opposition leaders have demanded an immediate, independent inquiry, alleging that the local administration is deliberately giving a 'long rope' to the management and shielding the 'big fish' orchestrating the embezzlement.Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has come out in defence of the embattled General Secretary, stating that there is 'no need to make a big issue' out of Rai’s role in the trust. Meanwhile, trust members, including Dinendra Das, have assured the public that anyone legally found guilty of mismanaging or siphoning funds will face strict punishment._____Times NetworkTIMES NETWORK, a premium broadcast network is part of India’s largest media conglomerate, The Times Group. Times Network takes the centre stage in influencing the influencer, by delivering the most compelling and irreplaceable content to over 200 million urban affluent viewers in India and is available in over 100 countries across the globe. It houses best in class English and Hindi News channels including; Times Now, ET Now, Mirror Now, Times Now Navbharat, ET Now Swadesh; Hollywood channels - MN+; Romedy Now; MNX; Bollywood channel - Zoom, Times Influence and The Zoom Studios – an original content creator that brings stories to life with relatable and compelling narratives. The digital entities of the Network, including timesnow.in, etnow.in, timesnownavbharat.in, zoomtv.com, etnowswadesh.com, digit.in, timesfoodie.com, healthandme.com, timesdrive.in, and unilist.in seamlessly adapted to serve the diverse nature and interests of the content-savvy internet audience.The Times GroupThe Times Group is the leading media conglomerate in India with premium offerings across diverse businesses such as Television, Digital, Print, Radio, Outdoor Media, Events, Marquee IP, Music, Movies, Real Estate Marketplace, Education and Investments. As India’s most influential news and entertainment content provider, it houses some of the country's leading brands such as Times Now, ET Now, Mirror Now, Times Now Navbharat, ET Now Swadesh; Zoom, Movies Now HD; MN+; Romedy Now; MNX, Mirchi, Gaana, Times Play, Magicbricks, Junglee Pictures, Times OOH, Times Music, Junglee Music, Filmfare, Femina, Grazia, Times Influence and ET Edge, among others. The Times Group’s Bennett University and TimesPro are fast taking leadership positions in the higher education and executive education categories respectively and it has recently diversified into global sports through a joint venture for the world’s fastest growing sport of Pickleball.The digital entities of the Network produce and curate content for digital audiences across the world through its multiple brands, including timesnow.in, etnow.in, timesnownavbharat.in, zoomtv.com, etnowswadesh.com, digit.in, timesfoodie.com, healthandme.com, timesdrive.in, and unilist.in.