Police in Ayodhya registered an FIR Thursday against eight individuals and unidentified others on a complaint alleging theft, misappropriation of cash, embezzlement of funds and valuables donated to the Ram temple.
The FIR was lodged at Kotwali Ramjanmabhoomi police station on a complaint by Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, two days after a Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the allegations, submitted its preliminary findings to the UP government.
The eight individuals named in the FIR are Avinash Shukla, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav and Subhash Srivastav.
Late Thursday, all eight were brought to the police station for questioning. Most were involved in the donation counting work.
Tinnu Yadav used to work as a driver for Champat Rai, general secretary of the Trust. According to an official, ever since the consecration of the idol in 2022, Tinnu had been involved in the functioning of affairs inside the temple.
Subhash Srivastav, a retired bank employee, was in-charge of the donation counting shifts at the counting room in the Pilgrim Facility Centre (PFC) in Ayodhya.
The building which houses the counting centre. (Express photo by Shyamlal Yadav)
Sources in Ayodhya said there were allegations that some among the counting staff had been slipping extra notes into currency bundles of 100 each and these were later shared. There could be action against more people, sources said.
Story continues below this ad
The FIR stated: “It is clear from the preliminary report of the SIT and available oral, documentary and electronic evidence that certain employees deployed for counting of donations have committed crime by stealing, misappropriating frequently. Based on the facts mentioned in the preliminary report of SIT and available oral, documentary and electronic evidence and financial records, registration of FIR is necessary…”
The FIR invoked BNS sections 305 (theft in protected place of worship), 306 (theft by an employee), 316 (5) (criminal breach of trust by an employee), 317 (4) (habitual dealing in stolen property), 317 (5) (assisting in concealing or disposal of stolen property), 61 (criminal conspiracy), 3 (5) (acts committed with common intention) and section 13 (1) a of Prevention of Corruption Act (criminal misconduct by a public servant).
On Tuesday, the SIT — its members are Vijay Vishwas Pant, Lucknow Divisional Commissioner; Kiran S, IG Lucknow Range; and Neel Ratan, Special Secretary, Finance Department — handed over a preliminary report to Sanjay Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who had been travelling, was said to have gone through the report Thursday morning upon his return to Lucknow.
Story continues below this ad
Sources in the government said the CM directed senior police officers to act in the matter. An Ayodhya police officer approached the Trust and, following a formal complaint, the FIR was registered, sources said.
Sources said the preliminary report by the SIT mentioned the suspicious role of those engaged by the Trust to count the donated cash and valuables.
The SIT is likely to make more visits to Ayodhya before it drafts a detailed report with recommendations and suggestions for strict norms on the management of temple affairs. Sources said the final report could be submitted to the CM within 15 days.
The SIT has already questioned those involved in the temple management work including the private agency hired by a bank asked by the Trust to manage the donations and temple funds. Documents on the transactions were said to have been collected by the SIT.
