Ram Mandir Donation Row LIVE Updates: SC to Hear Pleas Seeking CBI Probe into Ram Mandir Donation Row

The controversy surrounding the Ram Temple donations has taken a new turn after reports emerged of a significant decline in contributions to the temple. A three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed following allegations of embezzlement within the temple trust. The controversy began after a video surfaced featuring Mahipal Singh, who claimed to be the temple's former accounts in-charge. In the video, he alleged that the donations received by the temple were being manipulated. 

In a recent development, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking the registration of an FIR and a court-monitored investigation into the alleged embezzlement. The petition was filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Sadav under Article 32 of the Constitution, seeking an investigation into alleged financial irregularities in the trust's accounts, including claims of missing donations and funds. The petitioners have demanded a "fair, impartial, comprehensive, and time-bound investigation" into the affairs of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. 

As per an India Today report, the SIT probe into the Ram Temple donation row has pointed to several lapses. The investigation revealed discrepancies in employee verification, CCTV monitoring, and the process of transferring temple offerings to the trust office and subsequently to the bank.

Amid the controversy, temple chief Champat Rai has come under scrutiny over his influence within the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Rai serves as the Trust's General Secretary and is facing questions regarding his alleged involvement in the Ram Temple donation row. Several leaders, including Vinay Katiyar, Santosh Dubey, and Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, have criticised the functioning of the Trust.

Bajrang Dal founder-president Vinay Katiyar has also criticised Rai and accused him of wrongdoing. 

Dharmasena founder Santosh Dubey alleged that temple-related valuables have been going missing since 1989. He also claimed that around 1,250 Ram Shilas made of gold, silver, diamonds, and other precious materials, which were once kept in Ayodhya, are no longer there. 

According to an exclusive report by Dainik Jagran, a former engineer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has revealed some shocking details amid the ongoing Ram Temple donation controversy. On June 19, 2026, Dinanth Verma told the media that Dr. Anil Kumar Mishra, a temple trustee, was allegedly involved in the ongoing irregularities and mismanagement of funds. 

He accused Mishra of taking a 40% commission and alleged that General Secretary Champat Rai failed to take any action. Verma also claimed that he had complained about the alleged embezzlement but was subsequently threatened. He further stated that while he was in Kolkata for work, he noticed discrepancies between the bills and the construction materials being procured for the temple project.

When he questioned the contractor about the mismatch, the contractor allegedly told him that a commission was being paid to Mishra, Dainik Jagran reported. 

The latest donation investigation isn't the first time that Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has come under scanner. In 2021, it faced questions from opposition leaders as documents were recovered showing that the land that the Trust had purchases for ₹18.5 crore was sold for only ₹2 crore just minutes before. Read the full details of the alleged land scam here.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has submitted their preliminary report in the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case to the Uttar Pradesh government, officials told PTI. Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant submitted the report to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad. The findings are still at preliminary stage and investigation is still underway. Pant told PTI that a final report is expected within 10 to 15 days.

While speaking to the media, Pant said, "Based on the information that has come to light so far and the facts available with us, we have submitted the first report today. This is only the preliminary report and the final report will be submitted after some time." He maintained that the details of the report are confidential and he is not authorized to share them to the public at this stage.

Samajwadi Party MP Rajiv Rai questioned the lack of FIR in the ongoing probe in Ram Mandir donation embezzlement. He demanded a judicial probe into the matter saying that BJP leader and associates are involved and they will trap "small people" as scapegoats.

Speaking to ANI, Rajeev Rai said to the media, "No FIR has been filed yet. I have been saying from day one that they will clear their name by trapping small people. If you have to start the investigation into the theft in Ram temple, then start with land acquisition...all the BJP leaders are involved in the loot that has taken place in the name of Lord Ram."

According to a report by The Indian Express, an audit report from November 2020 had flagged serious management issues at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. According to Express, the audit report had called for a Systematic Operating Process (SOP) to improve management and accountability.

Even after five years, these demands are not fulfilled putting question over the temple committee who is now under scrutiny in alleged donation embezzlement.

The audit firm had found the trust's management to be "highly unprofessional," as per Indian Express. It flagged discrepancies in the management like how there is no systematic record or financial recording, no second or third level verification of transactions, and weak coordination between departments.

It had reportedly warned that the unprofessional staff and poor data management could lead to malpractices in the future, a prediction which has come into light only after five years.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple is not just a grand structure but also a symbol of faith, a long civilisational history, and a social movement for millions of Hindus. After decades of legal battles and political struggles, the Ram Temple at Ayodhya was consecrated in 2024. Since the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, lakhs of devotees have visited the temple, and during its construction many people — from the rich to the middle class and even the poor — donated money, jewellery, gold, silver and other valuables out of devotion to Lord Ram.

However, allegations later surfaced that some of these donations and valuables had either gone missing or had been siphoned off. Opposition leaders and several others alleged financial irregularities, triggering widespread outrage among devotees. Claims that cash, gold, silver and other offerings had disappeared soon turned the issue into a national controversy.

As per sources from The Indian Express, the preliminary report submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, contains names of individuals involved in the process of collecting donations and depositing them in the bank. The sources also said that the SIT has recommended the registration of an FIR in the case, a move that many are awaiting.

The SIT report has also recommended the removal of all those previously involved in the counting of Ram Mandir donations and the banking process. According to sources from The Times of India, the report has further suggested the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer, on the lines of the management model adopted at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

Just after the SIT submitted its preliminary report on the ongoing Ram Temple donation controversy, the right-wing Hindutva organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has demanded that an FIR be filed in the case. VHP International President Alok Kumar told The Indian Express that, "Based on the news reports about extracts from the SIT report, it can be said that there are enough grounds to file an FIR in the matter."

The VHP also demanded that the case be heard on a day-to-day basis in a fast-track court. A three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted by the Yogi Adityanath-led government after multiple reports alleged embezzlement, mismanagement, and misuse of Ram Temple funds.

The Supreme Court has rejected the plea related to the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case for urgent hearing, asking the petitioners to mention the plea again on Monday, June 29, 2026.

Justice BV Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi presided their judgement on the plea, which, according to media reports, was seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations given by Hindu devotees from all over the world.

The petition was filed by two advocates named Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav. It appealed that the Supreme Court should order a new multidisciplinary Special Investigation Team led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

According to a PTI report, the plea said, "Whether or not the reports regarding missing funds and other alleged irregularities concerning the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust are ultimately found to be true, such reports have caused deep concern among the generations that struggled for the restoration of the glory of Ayodhya."

An FIR is registered against eight people in connection with Ram Janambhoomi donation scam after a complaint filed by the Ram Janambhoomi Kshetra Trust on Thursday, June 25, 2026. The Trust’s complaint came two days after Uttar Pradesh Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) handed over a preliminary report on the alleged irregularities in donation money collected at Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

Among eight people named as accused in the FIR are Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu - who is also used to the driver of trust general secretary Champat Rai.

According to Ram Janmabhoomi police, Lavkush and Anukalp are among those involved in counting the cash and valuables received as donations at the temple.

The SIT team, comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan, scrutinised various temple records about gold and jewellery offerings at the temple, handling of cash and other valuables offered by the staff and also scanned CCTV footage to arrive at the conclusion.

According to reports, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's general secretary Champat Rai, and a senior member Anil Mishra have stepped down from their roles in the Trust. The move comes three days after the SIT submitted its preliminary report, and just hours after eight accused Trust workers were arrested following an FIR.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad Chief, Alok Kumar, while speaking to media said that Champat Rai, general secretary of Ram Mandir Trust, will also be investigated as per the procedure. In an interview with ThePrint on Friday, June 26, 2026, he said, "The police have the jurisdiction and a duty to investigate allegations against anybody. (And since you particularly named Champat Rai) I would say the police would investigate the allegations against Champat-ji also, against Anil Mishra also, against Gopal-ji also. Nobody would be spared. Everybody is equal before the law. And there would be no effort to shield any person."

Along with being the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai is also the Vice President of VHP. According to reports he has stepped down from the former position after an FIR was filed on Thursday, June 25, 2026.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal slammed the BJP-RSS, claiming they "looted" from donations of Hindu devotees. He wrote on X, "The Sangh Parivar's farce of being true Hindus is even further exposed because the FIR registered currently does not even name the trustees who were entrusted with temple funds. Instead, the UP Police SIT has only identified low-level office bearers without implicating those at the top of this mega racket."

Another senior Congress leader Rajeev Shukla claimed the alleged donation embezzlement as "horrific loot." Speaking to the media, he demanded the dissolution of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and demanded saints and seers to replace the political figures. He also demanded a probe into the matter under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

According to report by Abhishek Upadhyay from Top Secret, 2 workers have expressed their dismay from the authority's handling of donations six months ago. After their complaints were allegedly disregarded they left the Trust.

According to Top Secret, the donation counting happened at two places: at Pilgrim Facility Centre (PFC) building, and at the police station located within the Janmabhoomi. Reportedly, 30-35 people objected to discrepancies in the counting process like cash stacks of 150-200 notes were often listed as only of 100 notes in the official records. Top Secret sources claim that two people complained to Subhash Shrivastava, the counting in-charge of the Temple. Shrivastava reportedly replied, "All is happening with the knowledge of the Lord. It is not being stolen from mine or your house."

The answer stunned the two workers and they left, claiming that no action was taken with all the administration being in the know. Subhash Shrivastava is now one of the eight accused arrested in the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case.

According to reports, nearly ₹7-7.5 crore missing donations have been detected in the initial investigation of the three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the UP govt. While talking to PTI, an official told the details of the complaint. He said, "All the accused were in Ayodhya itself and were arrested late Thursday night. Further questioning is underway. Police are preparing to present them before a magistrate."

The charges registered against the accused include sections 306 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master), 316 (criminal breach of trust), 317 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, among other provisions.

Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu: He is a former driver of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust's general secretary Champat Rai. According to reports, he was among the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Karsevaks who were involved in the counting of the donations. It is reported that the keys of donation boxes used to remain with Tinnu as he was close to the Trust members.

Ramshankar Mishra alias Ravi Mishra: He was also among the people involved in counting donations. He reportedly put his son and son-in-law also at counting money. Ravi Mishra is currently facing allegations of conspiring with other employees.

Anukalp Mishra: Son of Ramshankar Mishra, he was also involved in the counting donations. Anukalp is also a relative of senior Trust member Anil Mishra.

Lavkush Mishra: Son-in-law of Ramshankar Mishra, he faces allegations of disposing the embezzled money. At the beginning of the investigation it was reported stacks of cash was recovered from his house as well.

Avinash Shukla: He was the attendant of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and was allegedly involved in manipulation of money. It was reported that ₹5 lakh were recovered from Avinash's account.

Manish Yadav: Nephew of Tinnu Yadav, he was also involved in counting donations. During searches money was also found at Manish's house.

Subhash Shrivastava: He is a former bank employee who was in-charge of the team counting cash at Temple.

Karunesh Pandey: He was allegedly involved in manipulation of receipts of money.

According to media reports, Anil Mishra and Champat Rai have resigned from Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for an impartial investigation into the donation theft. More details of the preliminary report, submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 23, 2026, were reported by India Today sources. They claim there were three major findings that the SIT flagged during their initial probe.

First, the SIT reportedly found that Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust was aware of the donation theft for a long time, before the allegations were made public. This was also during the time when the general secretary Champat Rai denied the allegations when they were first brough up by the opposition leaders.

Second majro finding reported by India Today is the negligence of Trust employees to follow set rules. In September 2024 and February 2025, Ram Mandir Trust and SBI officials reportedly formed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for counting donations. SBI Official Govind Mishra, and senior Trust official Anil Mishra signed on the SOP document, but it was still not followed. SIT found that this was a deliberate negligence from the Trust

SIT also claims that Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu had the keys to donation box without any official order or recordkeeping. Tinnu was the driver and close aide to general secretary Champat Rai.

The three-member Special Investigation Team setup by the UP government comprise of IAS officer Vijay Vishwas Pant, Divisional Commissioner of Lucknow, IPS officer Kiran S., Inspector General of Police, and Neel Ratan, Special Secretary in the Finance Department. The team conducted a thorough investigation into the donation management process.

Two days after the preliminary report was submitted, a Trust employee, Krishna Mohan, filed an FIR in the donation theft.

The charges registered against the eight accused include sections 306 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master), 316 (criminal breach of trust), 317 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, among other provisions

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust released its press statement on Saturday, June 27, 2026. In addition to expressing shock and hurt over the ongoing donation theft controversy, the Trust confirmed that general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra have submitted their resignation. The Trust will deliberate on this matter in their upcoming meeting.

The press statement, which was originally released in Hindi, read, "We are shocked, hurt, and deeply saddened by the incidents reported over the past few days regarding the Shri Ram Mandir (Ayodhya). We are committed to ensuring a fair investigation and reassuring the devotees. Resignations have been received from Champat Rai, General Secretary, and Anil Mishra, Trustee, of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra (Trust). The Trust will deliberate on this matter in its upcoming meeting. The Trust assures those devotees who personally handed over items—such as silver bricks and jewelry—to Trust officials for offering to Lord Ram that these items are safe and fully accounted for. We assure everyone that we will take measures to prevent any such unfortunate situation from arising in the future."

The statement also warn devotees to refrain from getting caught up in baseless and unsubstantiated rumours at this time. The Trust says it is fully co-operating with the government-formed Special Investigation Team.

New details have emerged in the ongoing Ram Temple donation controversy, claiming that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was aware of the alleged embezzlement before the case became public. According to India Today, on June 5, 2026, some Trust members visited the residence of one of the accused, Avinash Shukla, on the orders of then General Secretary of the trust Champat Rai. The issue came to public attention on June 7, 2026.

Sources claim that during this visit, cash was discovered at Shukla's residence, but no complaint was filed with the police regarding it. A CCTV clip allegedly linked to the event has surfaced, but its authenticity has not been verified.

Supreme Court rejected hearing a plea filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav into the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft. On Monday, June 29, 2026, a bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Sheel Nagu presided that once the competent authority and registry have deemed the urgency of the matter it can be taken up.

"Heavens are not going to fall if the petition is heard after the Supreme Court resumes regular functioning," said the SC bench. The plea is seeking a formation of a CBI-led SIT for investigating into the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case. The SC had denied the hearing of plea on Thursday, June 29, 2026 too, telling the lawyers to mention the plea again on Monday. However, it again met the same fate today also.

The Ayodhya Bar Association held a meeting on Monday, June 29, 2026, regarding the ongoing Ram Mandir donation controversy. Kalika Prasad Mishra, President of Ayodhya Bar Association, imposed a fine on anyone who will take the legal representation of the accused in the Ram Mandir case. He further said a legal action against Champat Rai, Gopal Rao, and Anil Mishra will also be taken, demanding a CBI inquiry into the case.

While addressing the media, the president of Ayodhya Bar Asssociation, Kalika Prasad Mishra, said, "The advocate will not represent the accused. If an advocate does represent them, they must deposit a sum of Rs 5 lakh per name into the association's contribution fund; proceedings under Section 173 of the CrPC will be initiated to register cases against Champat Rai, Gopal Rao and Anil Mishra. A CBI inquiry will be demanded...If necessary, the Ayodhya Advocates' Association will approach the Supreme Court and the High Court at its own expense."

In a clip shared from the meeting, the decision was received with applause from the lawyers present in the meeting. More advocates presented their opinions and displeasure with the Ram Mandir Trust during the meeting.

One of the accused arrested in Ram Mandir Donation theft, Luvkush Mishra, had reportedly purchased a plot and begun constructing a house near Ayodhya-Lucknow Highway in Sahadatganj-Banbirpur area. According to documents accessed by India Today, the land was purchased under the name of Mishra's wife, Supriya Mishra, shortly after he joined Ram Mandir Trust management around a year ago.

The current market value of the 1,000-sq foot plot and a two-story under-construction house is estimated to be around ₹25 lakh, as per India Today.

People from neighborhood identified that Luvkush Mishra and his wife used to visit the site during the early stages of the construction. Mishra was part of the donation counting team in Ram Mandir and reportedly drew a monthly salary of only ₹12,000 to ₹15,000.

Police have already arrested Luvkush Mishra along with seven other accused after an FIR was filed by a Trust employee.

According to reports, police investigated the former trust officials, Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, regarding the alleged Ram Mandir Donation Theft on Monday, June 29, 2026.

NDTV reported that the investigators had called Champat Rai, former general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, to gather information about the entire donation management process. This is the first time Rai has been called in for questioning since the FIR was registered on June 26, 2026. Consequently, he had resigned from his post the next day on June 27.

According to reports, Rai was questioned for over two hours, where he denied any wrongdoing and claimed that he took action as soon as he became aware of any irregularity in the counting. He reportedly also told the police that it was because of his complaint that led to the arrest of the eight accused. Anil Mishra, another senior Trust member who resigned following the FIR, is reportedly also called in for questioning.

According to India Today sources, the daily offerings and donations in Ram Mandir have nearly doubled. Earlier the reported daily deposit average was around ₹10-12 lakh, which has now jumped upto ₹20-24 lakh per day.

The reported rise is attributed to the growing number of pilgrims visiting Ayodhya during summer holidays period, as per India Today. The surge comes amid an ongoing probe into the alleged donation theft in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. Eight accused have been arrested in the case so far, following an FIR.

Continuing their onslaught on the BJP government, Supriya Shrinate, Congress National Spokespersons, said that what has transpired in Ayodhya is an offense on the faith of 100 crore Hindus.

While speaking in a press conference, Shrinate said, "What has happened in Ayodhya? There has been theft of donations, theft of offerings, and a scam. Is this an ordinary theft or an ordinary scam? What exactly has happened in Ayodhya, the city of Lord Ram? As a follower of the Hindu faith, this question naturally arises in my mind. I will make political comments too, but before that, I want to ask what has happened in Ayodhya. My answer is that this is not merely theft of offerings or donations; it is a Maha Paap (grave sin). It is an attack on the faith of 100 crore Hindus, unlike anything seen before."

The Uttar Pradesh CM maintains that the investigation into the alleged theft is ongoing and the three-member Special Investigation Team will submit their final report soon.

On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, police reportedly questioned Avinash Mishra, one of the accused arrested in the Ram Mandir donation theft case. According to NDTV sources, senior Trust member Anil Mishra's name came up during the probe. Anil Mishra had resigned as Trustee along with general secretary Champat Rai after the FIR was filed in the case. Both former trust members were reportedly questioned on Tuesday June 30, by the police.

For now, as per reports, police's investigation has revealed that at least 125 employees in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust were hired on Anil Mishra's recommendation, which included some of his relatives.

Meanwhile SIT is also investigating whether Anil Mishra took commission for these hirings and will reportedly submit the result of their probe in its final report.

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, on March 6, 2026, and currently has a market value of ₹25 lakh, as per India Today reports.

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 plot was officially purchased at ₹8.8 lakh.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust have called in an emergency meeting of all its Trustees on Monday, July 6, 2026, as per NDTV sources. The Trust is likely going to discuss the resignations of trustee Anil Mishra and general secretary Champat Rai amid the ongoing donation theft probe in Ram Mandir.

According to NDTV, the Trust bylaws can complicate this matter. For any official's resignation to be accepted, a two-thirds majority of Trustees is required. Further, the bylaws state that even though an office bearer is relieved of their position and responsibilities, they will remain a member of the Trust. Since Champat Rai and Anil Mishra have submitted their resignation from the committee, the other 12 Trustees will vote on the decision at the meeting, as per NDTV.

Rai and Mishra were called in for questioning by the Police but have not been arrested in the donation theft case so far. Both have denied any wrongdoing.

While speaking to ANI, Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member, alleged that the "entire fault" was of temple administration assistant Gopal Rao, who, according to him, politicised the entire issue.

Dinendra Das Maharaj said to the media, "Gopal Rao often complicates matters for everyone. Our trustees in Uttar Pradesh follow the tradition of Ram, whereas Gopal Rao does not even subscribe to that tradition. The entire fault lies with Gopal; he is playing politics."

Gopal Rao was part of the donation management team in Ram Mandir. Since the donation theft case has picked up, people have been questioning his involvement in the alleged embezzlement.

Harishankar Safariwala, head of Ram Niwas Temple—a centuries-old shrine located near Ram Mandir Complex in Ayodhya, accused the former general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and "his gang" of illegally taking control of Ram Janmabhoomi through forged documents.

While speaking at a press conference along with Samajwadi Party's national president, Akhilesh Yadav, in Lucknow, Harishankar Safariwala alleged that when he filed complaint against Champat Rai, they were ignored by the authorities.

He said, "They prepared fake papers showing a deal worth Rs 5.80 crore and paid around Rs 60 lakh through banking channels to our appointed priest and his relatives."

Police is reportedly examining a footage of the accused Anukalp Mishra and Avinash Shukla from the donation counting room in Ram Mandir complex, as per NDTV. According to media sources, the police find startling evidence while examining the CCTV footage. Both the accused freely took out money from the donation box as CCTV control room was not being properly monitored.

According to NDTV report, the accused initially tried to discreetly take the money while avoiding CCTVs, but later took out cash openly as they realised that the control room is not being managed. Avinash and Anukalp are two of eight accused arrested in Ram Mandir donation theft probe.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) issued their first response to the ongoing probe into the Ram Mandir donation theft. Urging Hindu devotees to remain patient, it further told them to "thwart the conspiracies of anti-Hindu and anti-national forces seeking to malign the Hindu dharma and society by exploiting this unfortunate incident.”

RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said, "It is essential to ensure that anyone found guilty after the investigation faces severe punishment." He further requested the Ram Mandir Trust to take effective steps to correct these shortcomings and failures in temple management to ensure that "faith and reverence of crores of Ram devotees in the Ayodhya temple remain unbroken and steadfast."

"The current state of confusion and uncertainty must end," Hosabale added. "In this regard, we expect the temple management and the government-appointed SIT [Special Investigation Team] to take all necessary initiatives."

Ahead of its scheduled July 6 meeting, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is seeking a formal explanation from former general secretary and trustee Anil Mishra, as per reports. For this the Trust is seeking to issue show-cause notice to Champat Rai and Anil Mishra

Before discussing their resignation or any actions, trustees will seek a written and oral explanation from them. As per Trust bylaws, no official can be removed without first giving the individual a chance to explain their decision. 12 remaining trustees will deliberate on the ongoing Ram Mandir Donation theft case in their meeting on Monday, July 6, 2026.

According to reports, the SIT investigation has found discrepancies in donation management which lead to suspicions of ₹6-8 lakh being stolen daily from the total donations.

According to NDTV sources, the bank officials have told the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that before the donation theft came into light, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's bank accounts received average of ₹16-18 lakh per day. However, after the case became public, the amount increased to ₹24-26 lakh per day, as per NDTV. This sudden rise in the bank account is believed to be the stolen amount which was allegedly siphoned daily from Trust's fund to personal accounts of workers.

Officials from State Bank of India (SBI) were also involved in the counting process. Their role in the donation embezzlement is also under scrutiny.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the apex authority that oversees Ram Mandir’s management and construction, is set to hold a high-stakes meeting today on June 6, 2026, in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The meeting would formally decide the fate of former general secretary Champat Rai and ex-trustee Anil Mishra, whose alleged role in the donation theft and irregularities scandal has become a major focus of attention. 

Sources say that today’s meeting could very well result in both Rai and Mishra formally handing in their resignations, effectively marking their departure from the institution.

The meeting is scheduled  to commence from 3pm onwards, wherein the temple trust committee would also be reviewing the preliminary report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the counting and accounting of donations received in temple donation boxes.

Former Union Home Secretary S Laxminarayan has accused former general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Champat Rai of negligence as his 151-Kg gold-plated Ramcharitmanas has been missing and untraceable after it was initially displayed to devotees.

The scripture was made of copper pages with gold letters inscribed on them. Narayan said his wife and him had donated the ₹5-crore Ramcharitmanas to Ayodhya Ram Temple after spending their life savings and selling some of their properties. He claimed it shortly went missing, six months after it was put on display for devotees in April 2024. His queries to the general secretary of the Trust reportedly never received a satisfactory reply.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust convened on Monday, July 6, 2026, to deliberate on the ongoing donation theft allegations and the resignations received by Trust officials Champat Rai and Anil Mishra. Both had resigned from their post following an FIR into the donation embezzlement as a result of the preliminary report from the Special Investigation Team.

Following their resignation, Bajrang Bagra, who was already the international general secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), was given Champat Rai's post in the Trust. So far Rai and Mishra have not been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation.

Bajrang Bagra is a senior official of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) who has now been appointed as the new General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, following Champat Rai's Resignation

Hailing from Rajasthan's Sikar district, Bagra is Chartered Accountant by profession. Before joining the VHP full-time, he spent several years as an executive in several private firms, including serving as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a Navratna PSU under the Union Ministry of Mines. He had earlier also worked as Director (Finance) and Chief Financial Officer at NALCO and RITES Ltd.

After taking retirement from NALCO, Bagra became an active member in the VHP and went onto gain high rank in the organization. He served as Joint General Secretary before being elected as the VHP's International General Secretary in February 2024.

Over the years, he has frequently represented the VHP while opining on issues related to temples, Hindu society, religious conversions and population policies.

His appointment as the Ram Mandir Trust's General Secretary comes at a crucial time, with the Trust facing scrutiny over alleged irregularities in temple donations. The leadership change to someone with a strong background in finance is being seen as an attempt to strengthen the Trust's administration and financial management going forward.

After their meeting on Monday July 6, 2026, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust issued a statement giving breakdown of how the total donations have been spent. The Trust claims that out of ₹3,264 crore donations ₹2,370 crore were spent on temple construction and capital expenditure. An additional ₹391 crore were listed as operational costs while the remaining funds still remain in bank accounts.

The silver items donated by devotees to the temple has been melted into silver bars and kept safe, the trust claimed. In their official statement posted on X, the trust also assured devotees that full transparency is maintained and anyone can verify how the donations are spent and kept by visiting Ayodhya and setting up meeting with officials.

In his first public statement following donation theft allegations in Ram Mandir, former general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai, maintains that he choose to remain silent for now and will give his response at the right time. While posting his handwritten letter on X, Rai quoted Goswami Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, "Dheeraj dharm mitra aru naari, aapad kaal parikhiahin chaari." (Patience, righteousness (dharma), friend, and women—These four are tested only in times of calamity.)

In his letter, originally handwritten in Hindi, Rai says that he will observe a period of silence until the SIT submits its final report. He claims he will answer "point-by-point" to all the allegations levelled against him.

He writes, "The truth will come out. My life as a Pracharak (campaigner) spans 45 years; wherever I have lived, it has been like an open book."

In a major governance overhaul following the donation embezzlement controversy, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is considering appointing a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to strengthen the institution's administration. Treasurer Govind Dev Giri Maharaj admitted that the lack of professional supervision had contributed to the lapses.

Speaking to ANI, Govind Dev Giri Maharaj said the Trust has formed a committee to shortlist three suitable candidates for the post, after which one will be appointed to oversee the temple’s administration.

The treasurer also defended former general secretary Champat Rai, whose resignation was accepted on Monday, June 6, 2026, amid the controversy. He said Champat Rai had no personal role in the alleged financial irregularities, but acknowledged that he had shown poor judgement in appointing certain individuals.

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 Special Investigation Team has reportedly found an old fake donation receipt book with the logo of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. According to media reports, the accused have allegedly confessed using the fake receipts to steal donor's money directly.

This is a major revelation as so far the investigators were only looking at theft from the donation box. However, the accused were allegedly also siphoning away donations from devotees using forged receipts that closely resembled the official ones, according to various media sources.

As part of the ongoing probe in Ram Mandir donation embezzlement, police have reportedly seized valuable assets from homes of three accused. The raids came one day after Anukalp Mishra, Karunesh Pandey, and Lavkush Mishra were taken into police custody, which allowed officers to trace assets linked to individuals and determine whether they were purchased through legitimate sources or via the stolen money from Ram Mandir.

According to TOI sources, search at Anukalp Mishra's home led to recovery of around ₹1.5 lakh in cash, gold jewelry, and a car registered in his father's name. Earlier, investigators had also recovered ₹20.39 lakh in cash from Anukalp's residence. Similar recoveries were reportedly made at Karunesh Pandey and Lavkush Mishra's residence.

In addition to seizing assets, the UP Police have also reportedly frozen 15 bank accounts of relatives and close associates of these three accused. The officials suspect the transactions carried out were not aligned with their declared sources of income, as per TOI.

IAS officer Vijay Vishwas Pant, who is heading the special investigative team (SIT) that is probing into the Ram Mandir donation theft, was named as an accused in a 2019 fraud and forgery case.

Pant, who served as Managing Director of the Western Electricity Distribution Corporation (WEDC), Uttar Pradesh from 2013-15, was booked under sections 420 (cheating) and 465 (forgery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPS) at the Parikshitgarh police station in Meerut. 14 other officials of the department were also named in the case.

A laborer had filed an FIR against Pant along with 14 other officials of the WEDC, alleging that they deliberately altered official documents to halt his payments. The complainant, Shivkumar Sharma who owned Durga Electricals, was contracted by the WEDC to electrify three villages under a government scheme. When the work was successfully completed, the WEDC deliberately changed the figures that detailed the work done by Shivkumar and his firm, thus reducing his payment.

According to media reports, around two dozen staff members part of donation-counting team have resigned amid an ongoing probe into the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement. India Today reports that the reason behind this mass exodus is longer work hours, cuts in salary and reduced leaves.

The workers claim that the work that was before separated in two shifts is now consolidated as one. Moreover, workers were paid different salaries despite doing the same work, which reportedly made the staff members more upset. According to media sources, the workers staged a protest and submitted their resignations to SBI Tulsi Udyan branch.