Ayodhya: Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and member trustee Anil Mishra have resigned from their respective positions, reportedly taking moral responsibility in connection with the escalating Ram Temple donation embezzlement controversy. The major administrative development follows the formal registration of a First Information Report under multiple severe provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61, and 3(5). Initiated under explicit directives from the Uttar Pradesh state government, the criminal case names several individuals including Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinnu Yadav, and Manish Yadav.
The legal action stems from public allegations raised by former Samajwadi Party MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, who asserted that financial donations ranging between 7 crore and 7.5 crore rupees were systematically misappropriated from the temple funds. In response to the escalating controversy, the state administration established a three-member Special Investigation Team on June 14 to conduct a comprehensive probe into the transaction records, acting upon a formal request submitted by the temple trust itself. The preliminary findings of the specialized investigative unit directly laid the groundwork for the subsequent police logging and high-profile organizational exits.
Addressing a public gathering in Deoria during an infrastructure inauguration event, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a fierce counterattack against opposition parties, accusing them of exploiting the investigation for narrow political milestones. The Chief Minister emphasized that his administration maintains an uncompromising zero-tolerance policy against any elements attempting to compromise public faith. He pointed out that political groups now expressing concern over temple governance were historically the exact entities that legally contested the shrine’s construction, denied the historical significance of Ayodhya, and actively suppressed cultural celebrations across the state.
The Chief Minister strongly urged political commentators to refrain from issuing premature public statements and to stop undermining the sentiments of millions of devotees. He explicitly appealed to critics to channel any verified material or financial evidence directly to the ongoing Special Investigation Team rather than utilizing media channels for unsubstantiated allegations. Reiterating the state’s institutional commitment to absolute transparency, Adityanath assured that the investigative framework will bring the complete truth to light based strictly on evidentiary recommendations.
