Following an SIT probe into donation embezzlement, the Ram Mandir Trust accepted the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra. The trust has announced administrative reforms and filed complaints leading to eight arrests.
Amid the ongoing donation embezzlement row at the Ram Mandir, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday accepted the resignations of its General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, while announcing a series of administrative measures following the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) preliminary findings.
According to a press release issued after a meeting of the trustees held in Ayodhya, the Trust also decided to remove Gopal Nagarkote from the list of special invitee members. The meeting reviewed the alleged irregularities in donation counting, the subsequent investigation, media reports and interim administrative arrangements.
"Upon learning of irregularities, Trust officials gathered initial information and requested an impartial investigation from the Uttar Pradesh government, which subsequently formed a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT)," the release said.
It said that as of March 31, 2026, the temple had received Rs 582 crore in offerings, of which Rs 391 crore had been utilised for operational expenses, while the remaining amount is held in bank accounts.
The Trust further stated that 2,126 physical offerings have been registered and are physically verified annually by an independent chartered accountant firm. It added that silver offerings have been melted into bricks at the India Government Mint, with proper documentation and purity certificates maintained.
Treasurer Vows Overhaul, Criticises SBI
Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, Treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said, "A complete overhaul will certainly be undertaken. I must also point out that State Bank of India (SBI) should not have shirked its responsibility in this matter; since the work was carried out in collaboration with SBI, they also bore responsibility, and we have had to suffer the severe consequences of their lack of oversight. In my view, the FIR should actually have been filed by SBI, not by our Trust, though the well-intentioned members of our Trust went ahead and filed it themselves. The responsibility is truly theirs...We are determined to do so and will adopt a process that leaves absolutely no room for doubt. We will take appropriate measures, seek guidance from all concerned, and fully restore the reputation of the Ram Mandir, which has been tarnished."
According to the Trust, the SIT's preliminary report identified eight individuals, following which the Trust lodged complaints that led to their arrests. "The SIT's preliminary report identified eight individuals against whom the Trust filed cases, leading to arrests. Following the report, General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra resigned on moral grounds, which were accepted by the Trust. Additionally, the Trust decided to remove Gopal Nagarkote from the list of special invitee members," the release stated.
New Appointments and Restructuring
The Trust has appointed trustee Krishna Mohan to discharge the responsibilities of General Secretary until a new appointment is made. It also constituted a three-member committee comprising retired Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and Suresh Havde to recommend candidates for the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
"The Trust intends to seek independent consultations from experts, in addition to SIT recommendations, to establish an ideal, efficient and transparent management system," the release said.
The Trust urged anyone possessing concrete evidence of irregularities involving any individual associated with the temple to submit it directly to the SIT or the concerned investigating agency instead of making public allegations.
Financial Status and Unabated Devotee Influx
Providing details of the temple's finances, the Trust said that out of the total Rs 3,264 crore received through the fund dedication campaign and corpus donations, Rs 2,370 crore has been spent on construction and capital expenditure.
Despite the controversy surrounding the alleged donation embezzlement, the Trust said the flow of devotees to the Ram Mandir remains unaffected. "Despite controversies and propaganda, the influx of devotees to the Ram Mandir continues unabated, which the Trust cites as proof of the unwavering faith of millions of devotees. The Trust maintains that the truth will emerge after the legal investigation process is complete and discourages blaming individuals prematurely," the release said. (ANI)
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