Ram Mandir Donation Row: Trust Meets to Discuss Champat Rai, Anil Mishra Resignations Amid SIT Probe

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday began a crucial meeting in Ayodhya to discuss the alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case, with the resignations of former General Secretary Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Mishra emerging as the key agenda.

The meeting comes as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government continues its probe into the alleged misappropriation of temple donations.

The meeting, chaired by Trust President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das inside the Ram Mandir complex, began at 3.30 pm.

Deliberations on Resignations

The resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra will be one of the key issues on the agenda in the meeting.

Both former office bearers were absent from the meeting. A formal announcement on the resignations is expected after the deliberations conclude.

According to media reports, before taking up the resignations, trustees discussed the alleged donation theft case that has sparked controversy over the past month.

The reports said that several trustees are believed to have said the allegations had damaged the Trust's credibility, hurt the sentiments of Ram devotees and shaken public confidence.

Members are also believed to have expressed concern over what they described as confusion and misinformation surrounding the case, saying it was creating a negative perception across the country.

Trust Reviews SIT Findings, Audit Process

Reviewing the SIT's preliminary findings on the counting and accounting of donations collected through temple donation boxes are also on the agenda at the meeting.

Media reports add that apart from the donation controversy, trustees will be discussing audit procedures for the 2025-26 financial year and other administrative matters related to the temple.

In a significant symbolic move, Monday's meeting is the first to be held inside the Ram Mandir complex. Earlier meetings were conducted at Maniram Das Chhawani in Ayodhya.

The change in venue was likely intended to ensure greater confidentiality amid the ongoing investigation.

Donation Probe Continues

The controversy began after alleged irregularities in temple donations surfaced on June 7, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to constitute a Special Investigation Team.

Following the SIT's preliminary findings, an FIR was registered on June 25, and at least eight people associated with donation-counting operations have since been arrested.

The SIT is also conducting a wider re-audit of the Trust's accounts over the past five years, including cash donations as well as offerings such as gold, silver, jewellery and other valuables.

Officials said former Trust functionaries, including Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, have already been questioned as part of the investigation.

The case has also sparked a political row, with Opposition parties demanding greater transparency in the management of temple donations and calling for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.

In a recent development the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court rejected a PIL requesting a CBI probe into the alleged embezzlement of funds. The bench stated that a similar petition is already pending with the Supreme Court.