The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Saturday officially confirmed that its General Secretary Champat Rai has resigned, amid an ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Trust Treasurer Swami Govind Giri confirmed Rai's resignation, marking the first official acknowledgment by the Trust after reports of his decision surfaced earlier. The Trust also announced that trustee Anil Mishra had submitted his resignation.
The resignations come as investigators continue probing allegations of financial irregularities in the counting of donations received at the temple.
According to sources, the SIT has examined Rai's role in overseeing the donation-counting process. While investigators have not alleged that he directly handled cash counting or surveillance operations, they are examining whether complaints about suspected thefts were ignored despite being brought to the attention of senior officials.
Sources further claimed that several people arrested in the case had been assigned to donation-counting duties on the recommendation of Rai and Mishra. Questions have also been raised about the appointment of some personnel without adequate background verification.
Also read: Donations row:Ram Temple key officials Champat Rai, Mishra resign
These findings are part of the ongoing SIT investigation and have not been tested in a court of law.
The SIT reportedly reviewed CCTV footage recorded between April 27 and June 5 and identified nearly 70 instances in which employees involved in counting donations were allegedly seen stealing cash over a period of around 40 days.
Investigators have alleged that some of the accused were aware of CCTV camera locations and blind spots inside the counting centre, with cameras allegedly switched off or deliberately obstructed during the thefts.
Eight people have so far been arrested in connection with the case. Of them, only Tinnu Yadav and Subhash Srivastava were employees of the Ram Temple Trust, while the remaining accused were reportedly associated with the State Bank of India, which assists in counting temple donations.
According to sources, the SIT has identified Ram Shankar Yadav, alias Tinnu Yadav, as the central figure in the alleged theft. The probe has also reportedly raised questions about Anil Mishra's role in appointments and flagged concerns over an increase in his assets after becoming a trustee, though no official findings have been announced.
Reacting to the development, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav accused the Uttar Pradesh government of failing to safeguard devotees' faith and demanded accountability in the case.
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