Agencies | Locknow:
The alleged Ram Temple donation theft case is set to enter a new legal phase on Thursday, with lawyers in Ayodhya preparing to file a complaint against former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, seeking the registration of an FIR over alleged irregularities.
The complaint, to be submitted at the Ram Janmabhoomi Police Station by the Faizabad Bar Association, will also name Trust member Dr. Anil Mishra and special invitee Dr. Gopal Rai. Lawyers are scheduled to march from the court premises to the police station at 11 a.m. to press for criminal proceedings.
The Bar Association has warned that if the police fail to register an FIR, it will move the court for appropriate directions and has indicated it may launch an agitation if no action is taken.
The development comes as the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the alleged theft from the Ram Temple donation counting centre, has been granted an additional 15 days to complete its investigation. The probe is examining the role of an outsourcing agency that allegedly deployed personnel for the donation counting process despite an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Trust and the State Bank of India (SBI).
Investigators are also verifying whether outsourced employees underwent mandatory police verification and background checks before being assigned to the highly sensitive counting operation.
According to sources, the SIT is assessing the movable and immovable assets of the accused, as any financial loss to the Ram Temple Trust could potentially be recovered from their properties if the allegations are substantiated.
The controversy is also expected to dominate the Trust’s meeting scheduled for July 6, where members are likely to discuss the future of Champat Rai and Dr. Anil Mishra. Sources indicate that the removal of any Trust member would require the support of a two-thirds majority of the Trust’s 12 members. Senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders, including Dinesh Chandra and Bajrang Lal Bangra, are also expected to attend the meeting as special invitees.
Meanwhile, investigators have introduced enhanced security measures at the donation counting centre. Physical frisking of all staff has now been made mandatory at both entry and exit points to prevent any recurrence of the alleged theft.
Police have also sought an additional 48 hours of custody of the alleged kingpin, Avinash Shukla, with the court expected to decide on the request later on Thursday.
During interrogation, investigators claim Shukla disclosed that stolen cash was temporarily concealed inside washrooms within the temple complex before being smuggled out in small quantities to avoid detection.
The SIT has also uncovered the alleged modus operandi of the theft. According to investigators, members of the racket had studied the layout of the donation counting centre, including CCTV camera placements, entry and exit routes, and staff movement. One accused allegedly removed cash from counted donations while others formed a human shield to block camera coverage and exploit CCTV blind spots.
Investigators further allege that one of the two keys to the high-security donation counting room remained with co-accused Ramshankar Yadav, alias Tinnu, despite him having no official role in the counting process. The second key was reportedly with SBI officials supervising the counting. The largest recovery of allegedly stolen cash so far has been made from Avinash Shukla.
The SIT investigation is continuing, with officials probing the alleged conspiracy, security lapses, and accountability within the temple’s donation counting system.
