A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has been given 15 more days to complete its investigation, as authorities expand the scope of the inquiry into the financial irregularities.
The extension is intended to allow investigators to examine all aspects of the case more comprehensively. Officials said the probe would be widened to ensure every possible angle is investigated and that anyone found responsible is brought to justice.
The development comes days after an Ayodhya court sent all the accused in the case to 14-day judicial custody. The order followed an investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Police into allegations of misappropriation of donations and offerings received at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple.
NCBC chairperson expresses faith in probe
National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) Chairperson Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said she was confident that the Uttar Pradesh government would conduct a fair investigation and ensure that those responsible are not spared.
“It is distressing because we have been associated with that movement, a struggle spanning 500 years. So many activists and kar sevaks sacrificed their lives there. I have faith in CM Yogi; he has stated that the truth will be laid bare, and you can see the noose tightening. Whoever the conspirators are, no matter who they might be they will not be spared, nor should they be,” she told ANI.
She also urged against attributing the alleged wrongdoing to everyone connected with the temple administration.
“I feel that investigations are underway and rightly so against those responsible for the lapses and irregularities. I do not think it is appropriate to link this specific incident to everyone. An incident has occurred, an investigation is in progress, and arrests have been made. Often, a person may be of good character, but others working under them might enter with malicious intent and cause trouble. I believe that is exactly what has happened here,” she said.
Trust functionaries resigned after FIR
The investigation gathered pace after an FIR was registered on June 25 following allegations that donations collected at the Ram Temple had been embezzled.
According to officials, the case has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61 and 3(5).
The FIR names Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Tinnu Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Yadav and others. The complaint followed allegations by former Samajwadi Party MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, who claimed that between Rs 7 crore and Rs 7.5 crore in temple donations had been misappropriated.
On June 27, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking what the Trust described as moral responsibility for the alleged embezzlement.
Police have since recorded Champat Rai’s statement. Statements of other senior Trust office-bearers, including Anil Mishra, may also be recorded if required during the investigation.
The probe has also extended to the accused. A police team recently visited the residence of Avinash Shukla in Ayodhya as part of the ongoing inquiry.
In a statement issued earlier, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said it was “shocked, hurt, and deeply saddened” by the reported incidents and reiterated its commitment to a fair investigation while assuring devotees.
The alleged donation irregularities have also triggered a political exchange, with Opposition parties attacking the Uttar Pradesh government over the issue. The BJP has rejected the criticism, accusing the Opposition of attempting to manufacture a controversy while recalling its earlier opposition to the construction of the Ram Temple.