Eight people were arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations in Ayodhya, with police recovering ₹79.80 lakh from seven of the accused.
Investigators are probing the possible involvement of five to six serving bank employees and examining allegations that cash was siphoned off during the donation-counting process.
The FIR was filed after the SIT's preliminary findings, while RSS functionaries expressed concern over the alleged fraud and called for stronger safeguards in the temple's donation management system.
Eight people named in an FIR alleging theft, embezzlement and misappropriation of cash and valuables donated to the Ram temple in Ayodhya were arrested on Friday, a day after the case was registered. Police said they have recovered ₹79.80 lakh from seven of the eight accused.
The accused were produced before a remand magistrate and sent to judicial custody for three days. They will be produced before a Prevention of Corruption Act court on Monday for further proceedings.
₹79.80 Lakh Recovered, One Accused Had No Cash
According to Prosecution Officer A K Verma, police recovered ₹79.80 lakh from seven of the eight accused. No cash or valuables were recovered from one of the accused, Subhash Srivastav.
The arrested men are Avinash Shukla, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav and Subhash Srivastav.
Police said the recovered money was allegedly part of the donations made by devotees at the Ram temple.
According to officials, Tinnu Yadav worked as a driver for Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and had been involved in temple operations since the consecration ceremony in 2022.
Subhash Srivastav, a retired bank employee, supervised donation-counting shifts at the Pilgrim Facility Centre (PFC), while the remaining six accused were engaged in counting cash donations.
Bank Employees Under Scanner
Prosecution Officer Verma said five to six serving bank employees are also under investigation for their alleged role in the embezzlement and suspected conspiracy with the arrested men.
Officials said investigators are examining allegations that some members of the counting staff secretly inserted extra currency notes into bundles of 100 notes before sharing the excess cash among themselves.
Police are likely to seek assistance from the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had earlier conducted a probe into the allegations. According to officials, investigators may examine the SIT's documents and digital records to determine the full extent of the alleged theft and embezzlement.
Another official said bank employees involved in transporting donations from the temple to bank branches since 2022 are also likely to be questioned. They had earlier been examined by the SIT.
RSS Functionaries Express Concern
The arrests, particularly that of Tinnu Yadav, have raised concerns within the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to The Indian Express.
A senior RSS functionary told the newspaper that the allegations had cast a shadow on the Ram temple's management.
"It is a matter of concern for us. The Ram temple and its management are associated with the Sangh in public perception. It is casting a shadow. As an organisation, the Sangh always pushes for the highest standards of probity in public life," the functionary said.
