Champat Rai's Resignation Accepted By Ram Mandir Trust, Krishna Mohan To Take Charge

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday accepted Champat Rai's resignation amid the ongoing controversy over alleged embezzlement of temple donations. Champat Rai, a key figure in the Trust, had stepped down earlier from the post of general secretary, citing moral responsibility.Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, Treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said, "Once the resignation had been tendered, the decision to accept or reject it was no longer in our hands; we simply had to accept it. Consequently, we did accept it. At that time, we also acknowledged and appreciated the service rendered by Champat Rai ji." "I have known Champat Rai ji for thirty-two years, and his only mistake was placing excessive trust

in those close to him...Back when no one even knew about the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, he was already here, driving the cause forward...We hold him in the highest regard...It is unfathomable how he could keep such wrongdoers by his side for so many years and fail to detect the conspiracies they were hatching. In my view, he remains untainted. He is not a criminal, though he did commit an error of negligence," he said.

Krishna Mohan To Take Charge

Krishna Mohan, a trustee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust, who has been appointed as the interim general secretary, said, "I have been entrusted with the responsibility of discharging the duties of General Secretary in an acting capacity until a new General Secretary is appointed. Anyone found guilty in this matter, we will insist and remain firm in our insistence that they receive appropriate punishment in accordance with justice. We are all deeply pained by the events that have transpired; everyone has suffered, including the devotees of Ram.""There were certain shortcomings in management and operations that were exploited by others. Therefore, my primary endeavour will be to plug these loopholes and rectify errors. I will make every effort to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future. The prevailing atmosphere has somewhat tarnished the image of our Trust, giving rise to a sense of mistrust within society. We will take all necessary steps to dispel this negative perception and rebuild trust within the community..." he added.

Ram Mandir Trust Meets Amid Alleged Theft Probe

The trust meeting was held at the guest house inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex. The venue was shifted from Mani Ram Das Chhawani to the temple complex, citing security reasons. Access for private vehicles, including those of media personnel, has been restricted near the temple complex.Elaborate security arrangements were put in place, with additional police personnel deployed on roads leading to the Ram temple complex.An SIT constituted on June 13 to probe the alleged theft of Ram Temple donations had submitted its preliminary report to the state government on June 23, which formed the basis for an FIR and the arrest of eight named people.Investigators have also recovered deleted CCTV footage that allegedly shows the accused concealing currency notes while taking them out of the temple premises.While no FIR has been registered against Rai, Mishra, and special invitee Gopal Rao, the Ayodhya lawyers of Faizabad Bar Association have submitted a written police complaint seeking an FIR against them.