Ram Temple Donation Scam Probe: Alleged Misappropriation May Exceed ₹200 Crore, 50 Staff Under Scanner

Ayodhya: What began as whispers about the lavish lifestyles of a handful of temple employees has snowballed into one of the biggest alleged financial scandals involving a Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Investigators now suspect that the misappropriation of cash offerings made by devotees at the Ram Temple could exceed Rs 200 crore, making it one of the country's largest alleged thefts of religious donations.

The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), while a senior IPS officer from Delhi is also conducting a parallel inquiry after arriving in Ayodhya on a special aircraft four days ago, sources said. The SIT has been asked to submit its findings within 15 days.

The investigation has brought nearly 50 people involved in counting donations under scrutiny. So far, police and investigating agencies have recovered around Rs 2 crore in cash, an SUV and three iPhones from five suspects. Officials believe these recoveries may only be the beginning as investigators trace the money trail and examine assets accumulated over the past five years.

Every rupee dropped by devotees into donation boxes placed near the sanctum sanctorum and along the temple's darshan route is taken to a highly secured room inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex. The location of this room is kept confidential and entry is restricted. Here, 24 privately hired employees count and bundle the currency notes under the supervision of 12 trust personnel, while officials from the State Bank of India and auditors from TCS monitor the process.

Ironically, most of the private employees handling crores of rupees every day were drawing salaries of around Rs 14,500 a month.

According to sources, suspicions surfaced after several members of the counting team, including Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush, Rajesh Pathak, Ram Shankar alias Tinnu Yadav, K.D. Tiwari and Manish Yadav, witnessed extraordinary changes in their financial status. Expensive SUVs replaced motorcycles, large tracts of land were purchased and commercial properties began appearing in their names or those of family members.

The matter reportedly remained confined within the temple administration until one employee, frustrated over the lack of action on repeated complaints, publicly spoke about the alleged diversion of donations. The allegations quickly spread beyond Ayodhya, reached political circles and eventually prompted the government to order a formal investigation.

Among those under the scanner is Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, considered a close associate of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai. Investigators are examining assets worth nearly Rs 50 crore allegedly linked to him in Ayodhya and Lucknow.

Residents say Tinnu once drove an auto-rickshaw and travelled on a motorcycle. Today, investigators are examining a 70-room hostel near Ayodhya airport, stakes in three restaurants, residential properties in Lucknow, another hostel in the Naka area and a Toyota Fortuner allegedly linked to him.

His nephew, Manish Yadav, who was allegedly inducted into the cash-counting team through his influence, is also under investigation. Sources claimed investigators recovered Rs 36 lakh in cash based on information provided during questioning.

Another suspect, K.D. Tiwari, was responsible for receiving gold and silver ornaments donated by devotees before handing them over to trust officials. Investigators are examining land purchases worth Rs 1.5 crore and other assets allegedly disproportionate to his known income. Denying any wrongdoing, Tiwari said his responsibility ended after weighing the jewellery, issuing receipts and handing the valuables to authorised trust officials.

Investigators are also questioning Rajesh Pathak, another member of the counting team, over what they describe as a dramatic improvement in his lifestyle over the last five to six years.

Lavkush, who allegedly worked as a car mechanic before joining the temple administration, is also under scrutiny. Sources claimed investigators recovered Rs 10 lakh in cash from his residence, some of it allegedly hidden inside household storage and beneath cow dung. A house under construction in Faizabad is also being examined.

Anukalp Mishra, another member of the counting team, is being investigated for purchasing a house in Ayodhya, developing a farmhouse in his native village and displaying conspicuous wealth during religious events and family celebrations. Investigators are verifying whether these assets are proportionate to his known sources of income.

Investigators believe the inquiry will determine not only whether donations were siphoned off over several years but also whether systemic failures in the temple's cash-handling mechanism allowed the alleged misappropriation to continue unnoticed.