Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Sri Ram Mandir has unearthed fresh details that point to a wider and more organised network than initially suspected. While the investigation first focused on the alleged theft of cash offerings from the temple’s donation boxes, officials now claim that gold and silver ornaments donated by devotees were also systematically diverted. The alleged involvement of a network extending to Karnataka has added a new dimension to the high-profile probe.
According to sources associated with the investigation, the SIT has so far seized more than ₹80 lakh in cash from eight accused persons. However, investigators are yet to recover the gold ornaments allegedly stolen from the temple, with officials suspecting that hundreds of people may have played different roles in the operation over a prolonged period.
Investigators believe the alleged fraud began during the process of weighing and recording gold ornaments offered by devotees. While devotees reportedly donated gold weighing 26 or 27 kilograms on certain occasions, records allegedly reflected only 25 kilograms by rounding down the figures. Officials suspect that the discrepancy allowed a portion of the ornaments to be siphoned off without attracting immediate attention.
The investigation has further revealed that the stolen gold and silver were allegedly transported out of Uttar Pradesh instead of being processed locally. According to SIT sources, the accused believed that melting the ornaments within Ayodhya could expose the fraud. Instead, the precious metals were allegedly packed into bags and transported by train to Karnataka, while members of the syndicate reportedly travelled separately by air to coordinate the operation.
Officials suspect that the ornaments were subsequently melted into gold biscuits, making it difficult to identify or recover the original jewellery donated by devotees. The SIT is now examining the role of nearly 200 individuals who are believed to have been directly or indirectly associated with the alleged network.
The investigation has also uncovered allegations of large-scale cash diversion from the temple’s donation collections. During interrogation, one of the arrested accused, Avinash Shukla, allegedly disclosed that between ₹6 lakh and ₹8 lakh was siphoned off from the daily donation collections. The money was reportedly shared among members of the syndicate at a park located near the temple premises, with the alleged kingpin, Tinnu Yadav, receiving a larger share than the others.
Investigators say banking records appear to support these allegations. Earlier, daily deposits into the temple’s designated SBI account reportedly ranged between ₹16 lakh and ₹18 lakh. After the alleged racket was exposed and tighter monitoring was introduced, the daily deposits have reportedly increased to ₹24 lakh to ₹26 lakh, indicating that a significant portion of the donations may have been diverted earlier.
Acting on disclosures made during interrogation, the SIT has seized a second-hand car allegedly linked to the accused’s brother, Abhishek. Officials claim that jewellery, cash and several documents related to financial transactions were recovered from the vehicle. The probe has now intensified, with investigators preparing to seek custody of the alleged prime accused, Tinnu Yadav, for further questioning.
The investigation has also widened to include scrutiny of financial records maintained by the temple trust. Three chartered accountants, identified as Chandan Rai, Narpat Thopia and Akshay, have reportedly been questioned regarding accounting procedures and financial documentation connected to the temple’s donations.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Ram Mandir Trust is scheduled for July 6, during which the reported resignations of trustee Anil Mishra and Trust General Secretary Champat Rai are expected to be discussed. Separately, a petition seeking transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been filed before the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench, with the matter likely to come up for hearing shortly.
As the SIT continues to unravel the alleged scam, investigators are attempting to establish the complete money trail and identify all those who may have benefited from the diversion of donations and precious ornaments meant for the temple. The probe remains ongoing, and officials believe further revelations could emerge in the coming days.
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