Lucknow: BJP leader and Bajrang Dal founder Vinay Katiyar on Friday claimed that he had told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and other senior trust officials could face jail in the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement case.
"It is clear that money has been embezzled. I spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue. He asked me what would happen next and I told him that everything would be set right. It is possible that Champat Rai, Gopal Rao and Anil Mishra may have to go to jail in the coming days," Katiyar said.
Referring to the ongoing investigation, Katiyar said the Special Investigation Team probing the alleged misappropriation of temple funds had been given an additional 15 days to complete its inquiry.
"The SIT team investigating the alleged misappropriation of funds donated to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple has got a 15-day extension. The investigation is on its second day," he said.
The remarks came as the SIT intensified its probe into the alleged theft of donations received at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The SIT team, which is camping in Ayodhya, visited the Ram Janmabhoomi complex on Friday and continued questioning people linked to the case. Investigators have also summoned bank employees associated with the donation counting process.
Officials said the bank employees were being questioned behind closed doors and that investigators were examining financial transactions, audit records and other related documents. Further action will be taken on the basis of evidence collected during the inquiry, they added.
The SIT had arrived in Ayodhya on Thursday and questioned trust office-bearers, including General Secretary Champat Rai, trustee Anil Mishra and treasurer Gopal Rao, for nearly four hours. The team also seized documents related to the audit of temple donations and sought explanations regarding the handling of funds.
Sources said investigators were not satisfied with several responses given during the questioning, prompting the SIT to widen the scope of its inquiry. The police's criminal investigation into the alleged embezzlement is also continuing, increasing pressure on those involved in the management and handling of temple donations.
Katiyar also recalled the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and praised former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh for his leadership during the temple agitation.
"We have sacrificed for that place. Seven or eight of our people were martyred there. Kalyan Singh asked me, 'What are you doing?' I said, 'Nothing is happening; whatever happens, God will make it right.' Kalyan Singh ji was a very good ruler and administrator," he said.
The alleged theft of temple donations has triggered a political storm, with opposition parties and several Hindu organisations demanding accountability and a transparent investigation into the handling of devotees' offerings at one of the country's most revered temples.
