The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is expected to discuss the resignations submitted by general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, review the progress of the Special Investigation Team probe, and decide who will handle day-to-day temple affairs until the final report is submitted. The meeting is scheduled at Mani Ram Das Chhavani and is likely to be chaired by trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, who returned to Ayodhya after hospital treatment in Lucknow.
The case has placed one of the country’s most high-profile religious institutions under intense public scrutiny. Investigators have so far focused on the handling of cash and valuables placed in donation boxes by devotees, the role of those assigned to count collections, and possible failures in supervision. The SIT’s preliminary findings led to the registration of an FIR on June 25 and the arrest of eight people.
Those named in the case include Avinash Shukla, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, and Subhash Srivastav. Police have recovered nearly ₹80 lakh from those arrested, while investigators are examining whether the total misappropriation could be far higher. Some estimates under scrutiny suggest that ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh may have been removed on busy days, particularly when pilgrim flow surged.
Closed-circuit television footage from the Pilgrim Facility Centre has become a key part of the investigation. A review of several weeks of recordings reportedly showed counting staff removing bundles of notes and hiding them in clothes and socks during the counting process. Investigators are also looking at how those assigned to the counting room were selected, who recommended them, and whether security protocols were ignored despite warnings.
Rai and Mishra submitted their resignations after the FIR and arrests, describing the move as taking moral responsibility while denying direct involvement in any theft. Rai, a long-time Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader and one of the most recognisable faces of the temple project, has maintained that he acted after complaints surfaced and has indicated that he may speak publicly after the SIT completes its report. Mishra, a trustee closely linked to local administrative arrangements, has also come under scrutiny over staff recommendations.
The trust has not yet accepted the resignations. One section is believed to favour allowing the two to step down to protect the institution’s credibility, while another wants to wait until the SIT submits its final report, expected by mid-July. The immediate administrative question is whether an interim official or a redesigned management structure should be put in place to oversee temple operations, donations and security.
The probe is also examining the chain of custody for donations from the moment cash and valuables were removed from collection boxes to their counting, recording and deposit. Investigators have questioned current and former functionaries, donation-counting supervisors, employees hired through outside channels, and personnel associated with banking and deposit procedures. Asset checks involving some accused have raised questions about houses, vehicles and transactions that appear disproportionate to their stated income.
Treasurer Govind Dev Giri has distanced himself from the daily counting process, saying his role did not involve direct supervision of cash handling. Trust officials have sought to assure devotees that audit records are intact and that stronger safeguards are being introduced. The new measures include pocketless uniforms for counting staff, frisking before and after shifts, monitored breaks, tighter camera coverage and stricter access control inside the counting facility.
