Investigation Intensifies into Ram Mandir Donation Theft Involving Champat Rai

Scrutiny of Champat Rai's Role in Donation Theft

The investigation into the theft of donations at the Ayodhya temple is focusing closely on Champat Rai, the head of the Ram Mandir Trust. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has raised serious concerns regarding previous complaints that were overlooked and the deliberate negligence surrounding them. Several individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, including some who were closely associated with Rai. Following these developments, Rai resigned from his position as the General Secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra on Friday. The SIT's report examined CCTV footage recorded between April 27 and June 5, revealing that staff responsible for counting donations were seen stealing cash approximately 70 times over the span of 40 days. Sources indicate that the report claims all arrested individuals were employed in donation counting based on recommendations from Champat Rai and Anil Mishra.

Allegations Against Anil Mishra

Additionally, it has been alleged that Anil Mishra facilitated the hiring of several close associates without proper background checks.

Insights from the SIT Report on Champat Rai

According to sources, Champat Rai did not directly oversee the monitoring and counting of donations at the temple, delegating these responsibilities to other officials. He is also accused of ignoring complaints related to donation theft, despite being aware of multiple incidents. It is claimed that those involved in the theft were his close associates, hired based on his recommendations. Furthermore, despite previous cash recoveries, he reportedly did not contact the police regarding the matter. Among the eight individuals arrested, only Tinnu Yadav and Subhash Srivastava were employees of the Ram Mandir Trust, while the others were on the payroll of the State Bank of India (SBI), which assists in donation counting. Sources have also raised questions about the increase in Anil Mishra's assets since becoming a trustee, although no official information has been provided on this aspect.

Tinnu Yadav's Influence

Sources indicate that Ram Shankar Yadav, also known as Tinnu Yadav, played a pivotal role in the theft. The SIT report suggests that he had access to the keys of the boxes containing the donation money and wielded significant influence over temple operations. This included the hiring of staff, selection of personnel for donation counting, and even determining the deployment of police officers within the temple premises. Another key suspect, Ramashankar Mishra, was reportedly hired based on Tinnu Yadav's recommendation. Initially assigned to the temple's facilitation center, he later became involved in donation counting. The SIT's report states that CCTV footage captured him stealing cash from the donation amounts multiple times.

CCTV Footage and Blind Spots

According to the SIT, all eight accused, including Tinnu Yadav, Manish Yadav, Lav Kush Mishra, and Anukalp Mishra, were aware of the locations of CCTV cameras and the 'blind spots' within the counting center. The report alleges that during the thefts, they occasionally turned off the cameras or obstructed their view. However, investigators noted that the accused were unaware of a hidden surveillance camera installed inside the counting room. The footage from this concealed camera ultimately revealed the alleged theft and became a crucial part of the investigation.