The Uttar Pradesh government is weighing the possibility of transferring the investigation into the alleged theft and embezzlement of cash and valuables donated to the Ram temple in Ayodhya to the CBI
or another Central agency, amid growing demands for a swift probe.
According to the Indian Express sources, the case is being viewed as an economic offence that warrants an extensive investigation, prompting the government to consider handing it over to a Central agency.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which submitted its preliminary findings earlier, was on Wednesday given time until July 15 to complete its investigation. The team is scheduled to return to Ayodhya on Thursday for further inquiries.
Sources said the parallel investigation by the Ayodhya police has so far been limited to recovering cash allegedly stolen over the past few months. Eight people have been arrested in the case and remain in judicial custody. However, investigators believe a more detailed probe is needed to trace the movable and immovable assets allegedly acquired by those involved in counting the donated cash and valuables.
Since submitting its preliminary report to the Chief Minister’s Office on June 23, the SIT has not revisited Ayodhya. Meanwhile, the local police, after registering an FIR on June 25, carried out searches in Ayodhya as well as the neighbouring districts of Pratapgarh, Gonda and Basti. Police have recovered Rs 79.80 lakh from the eight accused so far.
Sources said the SIT has already questioned all trustees of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, including senior office-bearers Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao. The questioning focused on their role and involvement in managing the cash and valuables deposited by devotees in the temple’s donation boxes.
According to sources, the trustees were first questioned to understand the temple’s day-to-day operations. Between 20 and 25 staff members were responsible for transporting the donation boxes from the visitor gallery to the counting hall.
The counting process was supervised by Subhash Srivastav and Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu, while Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav and Karunesh Pandey carried out the counting work. All five were arrested after the FIR was registered on June 25. The SIT questioned them between June 16 and 21.
The investigation will next focus on the first-rung staff, including supervisors of Sainik Security Services, which SBI engaged to provide security and manpower for counting the donated money and transporting it to the bank branch.
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