Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra have resigned, a day after Uttar Pradesh Police arrested eight people in Ram Mandir donation theft case. The resignations come amid increasing scrutiny over the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, which has reportedly identified procedural lapses in the management and monitoring of temple donations.
According to sources, Champat Rai and Anil Mishra submitted their resignations on Friday, taking moral responsibility as the investigation into the alleged donation theft continues. The development comes after the SIT’s preliminary findings reportedly pointed to shortcomings in the handling of donations offered by devotees at the Ram Temple.
The Uttar Pradesh government had constituted a three-member SIT on June 13 to investigate allegations of irregularities in Ram Mandir donation case. The first FIR in the case was registered a week after SIT was formed in the case. The FIR was registered on the recommendation of the SIT following a complaint filed by trust member Krishna Mohan, who joined the trust in September 2025. Hours after the FIR was lodged, Uttar Pradesh Police arrested all eight accused named in the complaint.
Those arrested are Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar Yadav, also known as Tinnu.
The FIR invokes provisions of the BNS relating to theft, criminal breach of trust, concealment of stolen property, criminal conspiracy and common intention, along with relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
According to sources, the SIT’s preliminary probe found alleged deficiencies in several aspects of donation management. Investigators reportedly identified gaps in employee verification, inadequate checks on personnel entering and exiting sensitive areas, weak CCTV surveillance and irregularities in the movement of donations.
The investigation is also examining the process used for counting donations, including the role of outsourced personnel involved in banking operations. In addition, officials are scrutinising records relating to gold, silver, ornaments and other valuables donated by devotees after discrepancies were reportedly noticed in inventory and documentation.
The alleged donation irregularities have also sparked political reactions. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav questioned whether accountability would extend beyond lower-level individuals after the FIR was registered and called for judicial intervention.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reiterated the Uttar Pradesh government’s zero-tolerance policy towards any attempt to misuse public faith or Sanatan values. He said action was initiated immediately after the SIT submitted its preliminary findings and stressed that there would be no compromise on issues concerning Ayodhya and the Ram Temple.