A preliminary investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has revealed several shocking findings. CCTV footage has shown employees allegedly hiding cash in their pockets and shoes. The report highlights serious lapses in security arrangements and surveillance.

According to the SIT's investigation, CCTV footage from April 27 to June 5 (about 40 days) shows employees hiding cash in their pockets, shoes, and other places. The report mentions around 70 suspicious cases. The investigation has revealed that this was not a one-time or two-time incident but a systematic process that continued for several days. The counting room failed to follow the prescribed security standards. No search was conducted during entry and exit. There was no effective control over employees' personal belongings.

The investigation has revealed that cash was counted in bundles and valuable items were not properly recorded or verified. SIT has identified six individuals as being involved in the alleged theft. They are Avinash Shukla, Anukool Mishra, Luvkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karuneswar Pandey, and Ramshankar Mishra.

According to the report, before the investigation, around Rs 78.94 lakh was recovered from some employees. Additionally, around Rs 2.25 lakh was recovered from the counting room on June 4. SIT has found that the bank accounts of the involved employees showed more cash deposits and financial transactions than their declared income, which requires further investigation. The investigation has revealed serious lapses in security arrangements, CCTV surveillance, SOP compliance, search arrangements, and oversight, which led to the failure to prevent theft and embezzlement. It is recommended to strengthen the management and record system of valuable items.