In the ongoing investigation into the alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, police have asked the district revenue department to trace land purchases made by 20 relatives and associates of the eight arrested suspects. The probe also includes recovered cash, jewellery and vehicles linked to the missing funds.
Key Takeaways
- Police are examining land purchase records of 20 relatives/associates linked to the eight arrested men.
- Six of the eight accused were directly involved in counting temple donations.
- Recovered cash, jewellery and vehicles appear to have been bought with the allegedly stolen money.
The world‑renowned Ram Temple in Ayodhya draws over two million devotees each month, and its donation handling system is supposed to be among the most secure in the country. Earlier this month, eight individuals were arrested on charges of embezzling cash and valuables from the temple’s donation counting room.
New investigative angle
Law enforcement has now widened the scope of the inquiry by requesting the district revenue department to disclose any land‑purchase transactions involving 20 close relatives and associates of the arrested suspects. This step follows early findings that cash, jewellery and several vehicles recovered from the accused appear to have been financed with the stolen funds.
Key accused and their roles
The eight men detained are Ram Shankar Yadav (known as Tinnu Yadav), Ramshankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, Avinash Shukla, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav and Karunesh Pandey. Subhash Srivastava served as the supervisor of the donation‑counting room, while Tinnu Yadav was the driver for the former trust secretary Champat Rai, who resigned after the theft allegations surfaced. The remaining six were directly involved in counting the temple’s donations.
Revenue records and real‑estate links
Police have interrogated local property dealers and are seeking to establish whether any recent real‑estate transactions can be tied to the accused. A senior investigating officer said, “We are trying to determine where the stolen money was invested. So far, we have recovered cash, jewellery and vehicles that appear to have been purchased with the stolen money. We are still examining whether any immovable property was bought using those funds.”
Next steps in the probe
Authorities have applied to a local court for a seven‑day custodial extension for Srivastava and Yadav while awaiting the revenue department’s report. The outcome of this inquiry could reveal whether a larger network of property acquisitions is linked to the theft, and may prompt stricter oversight mechanisms for managing donations at India’s most prominent temples.
