Police in Ayodhya have recovered cash worth Rs 77.85 lakh, along with gold, silver and foreign currency, in connection with an alleged theft of donations from the Ram temple. The seizures were made during fresh raids linked to the ongoing investigation.
A Special Investigation Team probing the case has arrested eight people so far. Police also questioned Sampath Rai, who resigned as general secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, citing moral responsibility amid the controversy.
As part of the latest action, police conducted another search at the residence of one of the accused, Lavkush Mishra, and took his father, Bachhulal, for questioning. Across searches at the homes of the arrested accused, investigators said they have seized the total cash amount so far.
Officials said the recoveries include 11 grams of gold, 375 grams of silver, and US dollars valued at about Rs 1 lakh. Police also seized a donation box bearing a QR code and labelled “Ramarajya Kosh” from a yoga centre where accused Avinash Shukla had stayed for the past 10 years.
Investigators have intensified inquiries into the role of around 400 private security personnel working in the temple परिसर. Police said Shukla told them he exploited gaps in CCTV coverage, stole bundles of cash from the donation counting room, hid them in a temple toilet, and later moved the money out in small quantities, adding that others were also involved.
