Ram Mandir Donation Theft: Accused Reveals How Gang Hid Cash In Temple Washrooms

The Ram Mandir donation theft investigation deepened on Wednesday as accused Avinash Shukla told police the gang blocked CCTV cameras and temporarily hid stolen cash in temple washrooms before removing it at their convenience. The confession lays bare the exact method allegedly used to siphon donations from the Shree Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust .

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has extended the Special Investigation Team's deadline for submitting its final report till July 15 , officials confirmed, giving the three member SIT more time after it was originally constituted on June 13 with a fifteen day mandate. The SIT has also found that the largest diversion of funds allegedly occurred during the 2025 Kumbh Mela , when temple offerings surged sharply, with the alleged theft now pegged at around Rs 7 crore , though opposition parties including the Aam Aadmi Party claim the actual figure could exceed Rs 200 crore .

Former trust general secretary Champat Rai was questioned by Ayodhya Police for nearly two hours, with investigators pressing him on how devotee donations were collected, counted, deposited and whether gaps existed in the process. Separately, former trust member Anil Mishra has come under fresh scrutiny after his name surfaced repeatedly during Shukla's interrogation, with allegations that he accepted commissions for facilitating recruitments at the temple. Both Mishra and Rai stepped down from their posts after the scandal broke and have since been questioned by the SIT.

Meanwhile, the Ayodhya Bar Association's decision to boycott the eight accused, backed by a threatened Rs 5 lakh penalty on any lawyer who defends them, continues to fuel a sharp morality versus legality debate. Legal experts note that while individual lawyers may decline a brief on personal grounds, a collective bar resolution denying representation conflicts with the accused's constitutional right to a fair trial under Articles 21 and 22 , a position echoed by senior advocates who have previously represented figures like Ajmal Kasab .

The political slugfest has also intensified, with the Congress accusing the BJP and RSS of shielding those involved, while the BJP maintains that the accused face both legal action and social boycott reflecting Hindu society's sentiments, as the case edges closer to becoming a flashpoint ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections .