What happened
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, responsible for managing the revered Ram temple, held its first meeting on Monday, July 6, 2026, following allegations of significant donation thefts. The trust had initially denied any wrongdoing, but the state government intervened by establishing a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the claims.
Following an interim report from the SIT, Ayodhya police registered a case of alleged embezzlement and arrested eight individuals who are currently undergoing questioning. In response to these developments, two key officials of the trust, Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, resigned from their positions. Retired forest officer Krishna Mohan, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which is an umbrella organization for Hindu nationalist groups including the ruling BJP, was named as the interim general secretary. The trust also announced the creation of a new CEO post.
The allegations, initially brought forth by a former accounts supervisor who claimed dismissal for raising internal concerns, have escalated into a major political controversy. Opposition parties have publicly questioned the handling of substantial donations, which include cash, jewellery, gold, and silver. Petitions have also been filed in both the state high court and the Supreme Court, seeking a federal police investigation.
The trust's treasurer, Govind Dev Giri, stated that the temple had received 5.82 billion rupees ($61 million) in donations by March 31, 2026, with 3.19 billion rupees spent on upkeep. While the exact amount stolen remains unclear, a former city legislator has alleged that over 70 million rupees ($739,550) is missing. Giri emphasized that the primary concern was the damage to the sentiments of devotees and the institution's credibility, rather than merely the monetary value of the theft, describing the incident as "deeply painful and shameful."