Ram Mandir Donation Row: Ex-General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Champat Rai Gets Clean Chit

CHAMPAT RAI, former general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, has been given a clean chit in the controversial Ram Mandir donation row. The controversy began in June 2026 after several allegations emerged, accusing him of fund theft and deliberate mishandling of cash, among other irregularities. Amid the ongoing investigation led by an SIT, Champat Rai, who was a central figure in the investigation, has been cleared of the allegations. 

An NDTV report stated that, along with Rai, another former member of the trust, Anil Sharma, has also received a clean chit in the donation row. An earlier investigation indicated that the SIT had recovered Rs 80 lakh in cash from the eight accused.

See : 70 Instances Of Theft, CCTV Security Lapses, SOP Failures: Key Findings from SIT Probe Into Ram Mandir Donation Theft So Far

The amount was handed over to the concerned authorities by Rai himself, and after the said amount was recovered, an SIT was formed. On August 17, 2026, the Uttar Pradesh Home Department gave the final report of the Special Investigation Team to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for action. Both Champat Rai and Anil Mishra tendered their resignations on June 27, 2026, after widespread backlash over the Ram Mandir donation row. 

According to sources cited by Deccan Herald, the three-member SIT has accused a total of eight members of the trust of allegedly embezzling money. The eight employees of the trust are currently in jail. The contents of the submitted report have not been made public.

However, media reports claim that it included several details, including the hiring process of the trust’s employees, how cash donations were collected, the counting process, and how the cash was supervised.

Champat Rai Denies Involvement in Ram Temple Donation Theft 

Champat Rai’s involvement in the controversy surrounding donations at a Hindu temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, came under scrutiny after a media report by Patrika mentioned a video clip of Rai. The clip, allegedly taken on June 5, 2026, shows the former general secretary of the trust leaving with the police while carrying a bag as they searched for the stolen donation money.

See Also: Ex-Ram Mandir General Secretary Champat Rai Could Be Named Key Witness in Donation Theft Case

Champat Rai is regarded as one of the most prominent figures of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and has allegedly played a key role in the ongoing controversy. However, reports suggest that Rai denied any links to the donation row during the investigation. 

The SIT is headed by Vijay Vishwas Pant, the Lucknow Divisional Commissioner, and was formed by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13, 2026. The eight people who are key accused in the donation row include Avinash Shukla, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ram Shankar Yadav. All eight accused have been booked under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

On Monday, August 17, 2026, the Supreme Court directed the SIT to file a status report on the Ram Mandir donation row and subsequently asked for a logical conclusion to the ongoing probe.

[VS]

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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