Ram Mandir Trust chief urged people not to politicise donation theft case.
Nritya Gopal Das sought strict punishment for those involved in theft.
SIT has arrested eight people and is probing alleged donation misappropriation.
Ram Mandir Trust president Nritya Gopal Das on Monday said he was “deeply hurt” by the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and appealed to people not to politicise the matter.
In a letter shared by news agency ANI, Das said those involved in the alleged theft should face the strictest punishment.
“I am deeply hurt by the theft that took place at the temple of Shree Ram Lalaji. Whoever has committed this sin should receive the strictest possible punishment,” Das said.
Expressing confidence in the authorities, he added, “I once again have faith in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji that they will ensure every person who is involved in this sin is punished.”
Das also urged people not to use the controversy for political purposes.
“This is a matter of faith for crores of Hindus, and I request that no one should indulge in politics over it for their personal gain,” he said, according to the letter shared by ANI.
Trust To Discuss Resignations
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is scheduled to meet later on Monday to discuss the resignations of General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra.
According to a notice issued by Trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri, the meeting was called with the approval of Nritya Gopal Das to take up issues requiring urgent decisions.
Rai and Mishra resigned after the controversy, taking moral responsibility for the alleged irregularities.
SIT Probe Into Donation Row
The developments come as a Special Investigation Team continues its probe into alleged misappropriation of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
An FIR was registered on June 25 on the basis of a preliminary SIT report submitted two days earlier. Eight people have been arrested so far in connection with the case. On July 1, the Uttar Pradesh government extended the SIT probe by 15 days to widen the investigation.
Investigators are examining alleged financial irregularities linked to the accused, including assets, property purchases and luxury vehicles that reportedly do not match their declared incomes.
Officials estimate, based on bank records, that around Rs 6-8 lakh may have been siphoned off from temple donations every day before the alleged irregularities came to light. Daily donations during the period were estimated at around Rs 16-18 lakh.
The SIT is also studying CCTV footage and looking into alleged lapses in cash-handling procedures, particularly during high-footfall periods such as the Maha Kumbh, when donation volumes reportedly rose.
