The notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust comes amid a widening controversy over alleged irregularities in donations collected at the temple, where daily offerings are counted through a system involving trust officials, bank personnel and a private agency. The demand seeks transparent publication of income, expenditure, audit records, inventory of valuables and the custody chain for offerings received since the consecration of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024.
The issue has moved beyond political charge and counter-charge after separate legal and investigative steps were initiated. A letter petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court seeking registration of an FIR, an independent probe and judicial oversight of donation management. A public interest litigation has also been filed before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, seeking a CBI inquiry and an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team to examine allegations of misappropriation. The team is headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant and includes Lucknow Range IG Kiran S and finance department officer Neelratan Kumar. The panel has been asked to submit a preliminary report within seven days and a final report within 15 days.
The controversy gained momentum after claims that several crores of rupees from temple donation boxes had been siphoned off. Police recovered about ₹10 lakh to ₹12 lakh from the residence of a temple employee in the Rudauli area of Ayodhya, while two employees involved in counting offerings were questioned. One allegation placed the suspected amount at between ₹5 crore and ₹7.5 crore, though the trust has not accepted that figure and has said audits are under way.
Trust general secretary Champat Rai has stated that no proven evidence of theft or financial irregularity had emerged from the internal review so far. Officials linked to the trust have said the inquiry was sought to establish facts and counter misinformation that could damage the temple’s image. The trust has maintained that donations are subject to periodic accounting, with State Bank of India representatives involved in the counting process.
The legal notice, however, raises the stakes by demanding an institutional response rather than a verbal clarification. It seeks itemised records of cash collections, gold and silver received as offerings, banking deposits, expenditure on construction and maintenance, payments to vendors, staff responsibilities, audit findings and the status of CCTV footage linked to donation handling areas.
The temple’s finances have drawn close attention because of the scale of public participation in its construction and upkeep. The trust reported annual income of ₹327.07 crore for 2024-25, including ₹153 crore in donations and ₹173 crore in interest income. From April 1 to August 31 of the following financial year, it recorded income of ₹104.96 crore, including ₹31.22 crore in donations and ₹73.74 crore in interest.
The trust’s own public information states that voluntary contributions are eligible for tax deduction under Section 80G, subject to conditions, and that cash donations above ₹2,000 do not qualify for deduction. Its online platform also allows donors living abroad to contribute voluntarily and download receipts after deposits into the designated bank account.
The temple has around four dozen donation boxes placed near the sanctum, other shrines and along the darshan route. Money is collected daily, counted and deposited. The scale of the operation has increased sharply with high footfall, with 70,000 to 80,000 devotees visiting on ordinary days and larger crowds arriving during weekends and festivals.
Political pressure has mounted from multiple directions. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has questioned the government’s silence and called for a deeper probe, arguing that CCTV footage and donation records should be examined. Congress has demanded a time-bound judicial inquiry by a sitting High Court judge, saying a police-led probe may not carry sufficient credibility in a matter involving public faith.
BJP leader Rajneesh Singh has also sought a central probe, writing that any proven irregularity would be both an economic offence and a blow to the sentiments of devotees. His intervention underscored the sensitivity of the issue for the ruling party, which has placed the Ayodhya temple at the centre of its political and cultural narrative.
