THE SIT PROBE into the alleged donation theft at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya has reportedly revealed a large pattern of negligence and administrative lapses in the Trust. According to media reports, the SIT's preliminary report, which was submitted to the UP government on June 23, 2026, identified around 70 instances of theft or pilferage between April 27 and June 5, 2026.
The findings also point to repeated instances of cash theft by staff, poor management, missing CCTV footage, and large violations of the standard operating procedure (SOP).
The probe has so far led to the arrest of eight people who were involved in the mangement and counting of donation at Ram Temple. Here are the all the major findings from the preliminary report, as resported by media sources.
The SIT’s preliminary findings, based on CCTV footage, bank records, and staff statements, suggest that the thefts were not random or occasional. Investigators found that some personnel were seen again and again hiding currency notes inside clothes, pockets, and shoes. In several clips, other employees were allegedly helping them in the act.
According to the SIT report, the actual scale of theft may be even higher than expected earlier as footage before April 27 was not even available, as per Deccan Herald*. So the period under review is only a small part of the full story.
The SIT has also reportedly found a mismatch between the accused persons’ declared income and their bank balances. Large cash deposits and fixed deposits from the suspected workers have also come under the scanner.
The Indian Express* reports that the biggest weakness in the entire arrangement was the failure of monitoring and supervision.
The CCTV footage was preserved for only 45 days, from April 27 to June 6, 2026, even though earlier audit recommendations had asked for 180 days of retention. That gap is important because investigators say it may have hidden earlier thefts.
The SIT has also flagged serious lapses in Trust's supervision. Some people were found controlling donation box keys or handling access-related arrangements without any proper written authorisation. That kind of casual and informal approacv, as per the report , helped create the conditions for the alleged theft.
The SIT has also pointed to the flagrant ignorance of frisking norms introduced in September 2024, which required security checks for everyone entering or exiting the counting room. However, a later SOP issued on February 6, 2025, allegedly softened that rule and allowed frisking only at regular intervals or on random basis. The report claims that even this relaxed rule was not properly followed. The SIT is now investigating why the changes were made and who ensured compliance, if anyone at all.
The probe also goes beyond cash. Investigators are now examining the trail of gold and silver ornaments after donors complained about missing valuables. They are checking whether jewelry donated at the temple was properly recorded, whether it was converted into gold and silver bars, and whether the recoveries match the registers and inventory records.
The temple trust had already recovered about ₹2.79 crore, foreign currency, jewelry and other valuables before the SIT was even constituted. Another ₹2.25 lakh was reportedly recovered from a washroom near the counting room. The SIT is now checking whether that recovery fits into the larger donation trail or exposes another layer of embezzlement.
The report has also dismissed some social media claims over missing silver bricks and other valuables after physical verification and record checks failed to substantiate those allegations.
The final report is still awaited as the three-member Special Investigation Team continues its probe.
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