Key Facts:

LAVKUSH MISHRA, one of the eight accused arrested in Ram Mandir Donation theft case, is reportedly being questioned by the police over his  irregular wealth possession, including his two-story house, which is under construction in Ayodhya. The house was registered under his wife’s name, Supriya Mishra, and currently has a market value of ₹25 lakh, as per India Today.

While speaking to India Today, one of the neighbors, Rajkumar Pandey, identified that Lavkush Mishra and his wife used to visit the site during the early stages of the construction. The plot is situated near Ayodhya-Lucknow Highway in Sahadatganj-Banbirpur area. The neighbor also claimed that the 1000-sq-feet plot, sold at around ₹2,300 per sq feet, will cost around ₹23 Lakh. However, as per documents recovered by India Today, the official price of the plot is listed as ₹8.8 lakh.

It was also claimed by the people in the neighborhood that the house has been under construction since late February 2025. Lavkush Mishra’s family had reportedly visited the site for Bhumi Pujan around February 25, 2025, before the construction began. A local resident, Rajkumar Pandey, also alleged that Lavkush Mishra’s father used to visit the site regularly to oversee the construction but nobody from the family has visited since the Ram Mandir donation theft caught public attention. “The workers were here until a couple of days ago. Since Sunday, neither the labourers nor any family member has been seen at the site," a local resident told India Today.

See Also: What Was the Ram Mandir Land Scam? 5-Year-Old Case Brought Into Light Again Amid Investigation in Donation Row

Who is Lavkush Mishra?

Lavkush Mishra, 27, was part of the donation counting team in Ram Mandir and reportedly drew a monthly salary of only ₹12,000 to ₹15,000. After an FIR was filed on the suggestion of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 26, 2026, eight accused were arrested by the Police. Lavkush Mishra along with other members of his extended family were part of these arrests.

He is related to former senior trustee of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Anil Mishra, who resigned along with general secretary Champat Rai shortly after the registration of the FIR. Both Champat Rai and Anil Mishra have not been arrested so far, but were called in for questioning by the Police.

Lavkush is the brother-in-law of Anukalp Mishra, who is the nephew of Anil Mishra. Both Lavkush and Anukalp were part of the donation counting team and were arrested as part of the probe. His monthly salary and the construction of the house was a point of contention for the locals who were shocked to see him purchase the land. “From their lifestyle, it never appeared that they had access to so much money. How they managed to build such a house is something only they can explain," a resident said to India Today.

₹12 lakh Recovered from Lavkush Mishra’s Residence

Earlier, during a police raid, ₹12 lakh were recovered from Lavkush Mishra’s house. The investigators currently allege an embezzlement of at least ₹7 crore in cash and jewelry from the donations offered by devotees in the Ram Mandir.

Jagdamba Prasad Mishra, grandfather of Lavkush Mishra, called for the arrest of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, claiming that his grandson is innocent. While speaking to the media, he said, “My grandson is being framed. Lavkush is not the only one guilty; the entire management is responsible. Lavkush is a junior employee that is why he has been framed. A case should also be registered against Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, and also against many people.”

The UP government had formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 13, 2026. A preliminary report was submitted to the government on June 23, 2026. The head of the SIT, IAS Vijay Vishwas Pant, had said that the final report will be submitted within 10-15 days. More details are awaited.

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