UP Probe Into Ram Temple Embezzlement Sparks RTI Demands

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the embezzlement of devotee donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya after former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey alleged the misappropriation of up to ₹7.5 crore. Investigations suggest between ₹6 lakh and ₹8 lakh was siphoned off daily. The probe has led to the arrest of eight individuals, including Anukalp and Lavkush Mishra, and the resignations of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, who both cited moral responsibility.

Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri denied involvement in the daily collection and counting of funds, asserting that local trustees oversaw those processes. Trust member Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj supported the government's actions, characterizing the theft as a heinous crime. The Trust is scheduled to meet on Monday at Mani Ram Chhawni to review SIT findings and discuss administrative restructuring, including the possible appointment of a chief executive officer.

Parallel to the criminal probe, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging the Ministry of Home Affairs to reconsider its position on the trust's status under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Brittas argues the trust should be a public authority because it manages land acquired under parliamentary law and includes serving government officials in its governance. This follows a June 2025 Central Information Commission ruling that the trust is an autonomous body and not subject to RTI disclosures.