Ayodhya: Police have recorded a statement from former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai as part of a probe into alleged misappropriation of donations made to the Ram Mandir, officials said, even as all eight accused in the case are slated to be produced before a special court on Monday.
Investigators said Rai’s statement was taken during the ongoing inquiry and that detectives may summon other senior Trust office-bearers, including trustee Anil Mishra, if further testimony is deemed necessary. The move comes after police on Saturday visited the home of one of the accused, Avinash Shukla.
Speaking to media, Abhishek Shukla, the brother of an accused, said the family would not stand by anyone found to have misused temple funds.
Trust Accepts Resignations, Reassures Devotees
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said it was “shocked, hurt, and deeply saddened” by the allegations about how donations were handled. The Trust added that it had received resignations from Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, and that the issue would be taken up at its next meeting.
Seeking to calm devotees, the Trust said all valuables personally offered to Lord Ram — including silver bricks and jewellery — “remain safe and fully accounted for.”
“The Trust assures those devotees who personally handed over items – such as silver bricks and jewellery – to Trust officials for offering to Lord Ram that these items are safe and fully accounted for,” the statement said.
The Trust also offered a message of resilience: “Darkness will eventually give way, and the light of truth will shine. The uninterrupted flow of Lord Shri Ram’s glory will continue forever.”
Eight Accused To Face Special Court
All eight persons arrested in the alleged donation-embezzlement case are to be presented before the Special Court for Corruption Act cases in Ayodhya for judicial custody proceedings on Monday. Security around the court complex has been tightened, with extra police personnel deployed inside and outside the premises.
The accused had been remanded to judicial custody on Friday and are expected to be returned to jail after Monday’s proceedings.
Bar To Decide Defence Representation
The Ayodhya Bar Association has summoned the Faizabad Advocates’ Association to decide if local lawyers will take up the defence of the accused. Ayodhya Bar president Kalika Prasad Mishra said the meeting would start at 10:30 AM and that members would weigh whether to represent them.
“A meeting of the Faizabad Advocates’ Association has been called; it will begin at 10:30 AM. Lawyers will deliberate on the ongoing situation whether or not to represent the accused in their defence. I cannot state my own decision right now, nor do I know it yet; the Association’s decision will be paramount,” Mishra said.
He added that the panel’s verdict was expected to align with the temple’s interests and that the hearing might be held virtually from jail.
State Vows Impartial Probe
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told ANI the state will oversee a fair probe. “The government will ensure that the police administration conducts an impartial investigation and takes strict action,” he said.
An FIR, registered on June 25 under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the direction of the state government, names several people, officials said, including Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinnu Yadav and Manish Yadav.
Former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey first levelled the allegations, alleging that roughly Rs 7–7.5 crore in donations to the Ram Mandir had been misappropriated. In response, the state formed a three-member Special Investigation Team on June 14 after a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust.
