Resignations accepted, interim secretary appointed
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the Ayodhya Ram Temple, has accepted the resignations of its former general secretary Champat Rai and member Anil Mishra amid allegations of irregularities in temple donations. Retired Indian Forest Service officer Krishna Mohan has been appointed as interim general secretary.
Probe into alleged donation irregularities
Complaints surfaced last month alleging wrongdoing in the handling of offerings and donations made by devotees, including claims that gold and silver ornaments meant for the temple had gone missing. The Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which questioned temple staff, trust office-bearers and donation collectors, and submitted a preliminary report to the trust.
Arrests and handover of responsibilities
In connection with the case, eight people involved in donation collection were arrested, including Ramshankar Yadav, identified as the driver of the former general secretary. At a trust meeting held ahead of schedule due to the controversy, responsibilities were formally handed over to Krishna Mohan.
Trust says ornaments are safe; final report to be reviewed
After the meeting, treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri said the resignations were accepted under the trust’s rules, noting it would be inappropriate for the two to continue during the investigation as they were in charge during the period in question. He also stated that all gold and silver ornaments are safe and that none of the items are missing, adding that the donation register lists 2,800 items and all are accounted for.
Next steps
The trust said it will examine the SIT’s final report when submitted and plans to appoint new trustees and administrators at its next meeting scheduled for July 22. The meeting was attended by trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, Ayodhya Collector Shashank Tripathi and others.
