Ayodhya Ram Temple Donation Theft Case: Police Raid Eight Accused Homes, Recover ₹79 Lakh, Intensify SIT-Led Probe

Ayodhya: Police teams on Sunday conducted simultaneous raids at the residences of all eight accused arrested in connection with the alleged theft of donation money from the Ram temple in Ayodhya, intensifying the probe into the high-profile case.

Questioning Family Members and Neighbours for Leads

Police teams reached the houses of the accused, including Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Manish Yadav and Ramshankar alias Tinnu Yadav, and questioned their family members. Officers also interacted with neighbours and local residents to gather information and record statements.

During the searches, police inspected the houses and documented statements of relatives present at the premises. Authorities said local residents were also being given an opportunity to submit any evidence or information related to the case.

Police Presence Maintained to Ensure Uninterrupted Investigation

A police presence was maintained outside the residences to prevent any disruption to the investigation and restrict unauthorised entry.

The FIR in the case was registered on Thursday and all eight accused were sent to judicial custody on Friday. Investigators are now focused on collecting further evidence and advancing the probe.

Separate Raid on Rented House Linked to Accused Avinash Shukla

In a related action, police also searched a rented house linked to accused Avinash Shukla in Kaushalpuri Phase-I. The entrance to the property was locked and placed under police surveillance while investigators carried out inspections.

Police have so far recovered nearly Rs 79 lakh from seven of the accused. The highest recovery, around Rs 20 lakh, was reportedly made from Avinash Shukla.

The Theft Came to Light on June 6, Prompting SIT Formation

The alleged theft of donation money first came to light on June 6. Following a recommendation from the temple trust, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter. The SIT submitted its report to the state government earlier this week.

Based on the findings, temple trust member Krishna Mohan lodged an FIR against counting staff members Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey and Ramashankar Mishra, as well as supervisory staff member Subhash Srivastava and Ramshankar alias Tinnu, the driver of the trust's former general secretary Champat Rai.

According to the FIR registered at Ram Janmabhoomi police station, the SIT found that some employees involved in the counting process had stolen money from the offerings made by devotees. The report also pointed to the prima facie involvement of supervisory staff member Subhash Srivastava and bank supervisory employee Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu.

The accused were subsequently arrested, and investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding one of the biggest controversies to hit the Ram temple trust since the consecration of the temple.