The trust comprises 12 members appointed directly by the central government, while the remaining three members were selected during its inaugural meeting
Key leadership figures of the trust include founding trustee K. Parasaran, chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, and treasurer Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj
Unlike state-controlled temple boards, the trust operates independently with its own deed, relying on internal audits and resisting state-level financial control
The Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member Special Investigation Team on June 13, 2026 to probe allegations of financial irregularities at the Ram Mandir. Led by Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, the team received a 15-day deadline to submit its final report. As of 19 June 2026, officials still await the findings.
Political tensions escalated early in the month. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav cited reports claiming crores of rupees in temple donations were missing. Trust General Secretary Champat Rai immediately dismissed the accusations.
Who Oversees The Temple?
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, a 15-member autonomous trust, manages the site.
The Government of India formed the body in February 2020 following the Supreme Court's Ayodhya verdict to oversee the temple's construction, finances, and administration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced its formation in the Lok Sabha.
Around 12 of the 15 members were appointed by the government, while the other three were selected in the first meeting. Former Attorney General K. Parasaran is the founding trustee member, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das is the chairman, and Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj acts as the treasurer.
What Are The Allegations?
Controversy erupted after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav cited reports alleging that crores of rupees donated at the Ram temple were missing. While trust general secretary Champat Rai dismissed the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government ordered an SIT probe.
Initial reports estimated the missing donations between Rs 5 crore and Rs 7.5 crore. However, subsequent estimates suggest the discrepancy could exceed Rs 200 crore, India Today reported.
Internal audits conducted by statutory auditor V. Shankar Aiyar & Co. and TCS flagged severe cash-handling vulnerabilities as of June 2026. Cash-counting personnel deliberately recorded voucher entries lower than the actual cash collected, according to internal audits and whistleblower reports reported by The Federal.
Ten chest-boxes of gold and silver offerings were removed without corresponding accounting entries. Officials also discovered the deletion of seven to eight months of CCTV footage in the cash-sorting area, lawbeat.in reported.
Meanwhile, police detained temple employee Lavkush Mishra and recovered Rs 10 lakh in cash from his home. Authorities have not yet officially linked this money to the missing donations.
How Is Cash Counted?
The counting process is layered. Around 35 donation boxes sit across the temple premises, temple staff said, as reported by The Indian Express. Temple employees estimate daily cash offerings range from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 13 lakh, rising to Rs 50 lakh to Rs 60 lakh on festival days, an employee told investigators.
The Trust authorised the State Bank of India to handle the money. The bank then outsourced the counting to a private agency, creating a multi-layered chain of custody. Counting occurs in two daily shifts, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., with 20 tellers working per shift.
Multiple groups monitor the money. Nearly 50 employees are involved in the entire process, including around 24 employees from the private agency who prepare bundles of currency notes. Twelve trust employees oversee the private tellers, while TCS handles the CCTV network. Finally, 14 SBI staffers verify the currency bundles before deposit. After inspecting the boxes, the SIT concluded that direct removal of cash from the boxes themselves is highly unlikely, shifting their focus to post-collection handling.
Who Controls The Finances?
The trust operates independently. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is an autonomous public charitable trust governed by its own deed. The Uttar Pradesh government does not control its finances. The body relies on internal audits and resists Right to Information disclosures, with state intervention occurring only upon explicit request or through judicial public interest litigations.
This structure contrasts sharply with state-controlled temple boards. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams operates under the Andhra Pradesh government via the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987. State authorities legally bind the TTD to government-run audits, require contributions to state welfare funds, and can intervene directly in its administration, as demonstrated by the state appointing a committee during the ghee procurement scandal as of June 2026.
Wealth scales differ heavily. The Ram Mandir received enormous donations since its 2024 consecration. However, the relatively new institution does not yet rival the accumulated wealth and endowments of long-established temples like TTD or Kerala's Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
What Has SIT Found?
The probe remains ongoing. The SIT arrived at the temple at 2 p.m. on Monday and offered prayers before inspecting the premises, India Today reported. The team examined the donation boxes and questioned trust employees, private agency tellers, and banking staff involved in preparing currency bundles, leaving around 10 p.m.
The final report is currently still awaited. The Uttar Pradesh government gave the SIT a 15-day deadline to finish its work. As of June 19, 2026, the state awaits the specific findings, conclusions, and administrative recommendations from the investigating panel.
