Ayodhya: The ongoing criminal investigation into the alleged embezzlement of cash donations at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir has widened significantly, with law enforcement agencies expanding their scrutiny to all individuals involved in the temple’s daily business operations. Following the arrest of eight individuals, investigators are now systematically mapping out the financial backgrounds of the entire workforce assigned to handle the temple’s substantial daily offerings. Police sources indicated that nearly 50 employees were explicitly deployed to count currency notes collected at the shrine’s Pilgrim Facilitation Centre.
The expanding probe is focusing heavy attention on the recruitment channels of these cash-counting agents, many of whom were reportedly hired based on direct recommendations from senior office-bearers of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust or their close associates. Law enforcement teams are currently conducting detailed asset verifications to determine if any of these workers accumulated wealth or properties disproportionate to their known sources of income after joining the cash-handling team. The investigation has additionally brought under scrutiny several senior Trust functionaries responsible for administrative management, alongside temporary government officials who assist with operational oversight. Highly placed administrative sources confirmed that the financial audit will be expanded to review previous high-value land purchases and construction transactions executed by the Trust.
Direct evidence against six of the eight arrested individuals has already been secured via internal security feeds. The recorded footage reportedly depicts the accused actively hiding bundles of currency notes inside their clothing, pockets, and shoes during the formal counting shifts. The first information report, lodged following a formal complaint by the Trust management, led to the arrests of Avinash Shukla, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, and Subhash Srivastava. Tinnu Yadav, a prominent accused who previously served as the personal driver for former Trust general secretary Champat Rai, allegedly monitored access to the temple’s donation boxes, while his nephew Manish Yadav participated directly in the daily cash tallies.
Raids conducted at the residential premises of the uncle-nephew duo previously yielded recoveries of ₹1 lakh and ₹2 lakh in cash, respectively. Police investigators have taken the two men into custodial remand to conduct extensive cross-examinations at multiple locations, aiming to trace additional siphoned funds, unrecorded valuables, and real estate assets purchased with the stolen money. Furthermore, specific property documents, physical cash, and gold ornaments were formally submitted to the court following the intense interrogation of former bank staff Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar Mishra. The escalating donation scandal, which initially surfaced in the first week of June, has already forced the high-profile resignations of two senior Trust functionaries. The controversy is expected to trigger intense political debates, as opposition parties have announced plans to aggressively raise the embezzlement issue during the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament.
