Last Updated:
The Trust also publicly displayed several high-value offerings, including Ramcharitmanas valued at nearly Rs 5 crore, asserting that all expensive donations remain safe
The Trust said Rs 2,370 crore has been spent on construction of the Ram Mandir, capital expenditure, development of the temple complex, and religious and associated infrastructure works.
Days after allegations over the theft and mismanagement of devotees’ donations triggered an SIT probe in Ayodhya, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has publicly released a detailed account of its finances, expenditure and handling of valuables in an attempt to reassure devotees and reinforce transparency.
The disclosure comes against the backdrop of an ongoing investigation into the embezzlement of temple donations, in which multiple arrests have been made and the SIT has been examining cash trails, donation boxes, gold and silver recoveries, and other financial transactions. The Trust has maintained that the theft pertains to criminal acts by certain individuals and not to any diversion of Trust funds, while also inviting devotees to verify their own contributions.
Total Donations Received
The Times of India reported that according to the Trust, it has received Rs 3,264 crore since its formation through Nidhi Samarpan campaign collections, corpus donations, contributions from devotees, and other voluntary offerings.
A meeting of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra (Trust) was held today under the chairmanship of Trust President Pujya Nritya Gopal Das Ji Maharaj. Statement issued after the meeting A meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra (Trust) was held today. pic.twitter.com/Sv7Gi9GWQv
— Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) July 6, 2026
The Trust said every donation has been accounted for and devotees can verify their contributions if required.
Where The Money Was Spent
Releasing a detailed expenditure break-up, the Trust said Rs 2,370 crore has been spent on construction of the Ram Mandir, capital expenditure, development of the temple complex, and religious and associated infrastructure works.
An additional Rs 391 crore collected through devotees’ offerings has been utilised for operational expenses, day-to-day management, temple administration, pilgrim facilities, and religious activities and maintenance. Together, the expenditure disclosed by the Trust stands at Rs 2,761 crore, while the remaining funds continue to remain with the Trust for ongoing and future works, TOI reported.
What About Gold And Silver Donations?
One of the biggest questions during the controversy surrounded precious metals donated by devotees.
The Trust clarified that donated silver was melted as part of a standard process for its eventual use in the temple’s construction, ornamentation and religious purposes. It said the silver has not disappeared and remains accounted for.
#WATCH | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh: Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, Treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, displays ornaments of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple. pic.twitter.com/j3o0HQodk3— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2026
To further address allegations, the Trust also publicly displayed several high-value offerings, including jewellery, ornaments and a gold-plated Ramcharitmanas valued at nearly Rs 5 crore, asserting that all expensive donations remain safely preserved and properly recorded.
Why The Trust Made The Disclosure
The financial disclosure follows days of intense scrutiny after allegations surfaced regarding the alleged theft of donations at the temple.
The Trust said it decided to place its finances in the public domain to ensure complete transparency and counter speculation. It also said allegations should be supported with evidence and not rumours. During its meeting, the Trust also accepted the resignations of its general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra and removed a special invitee, Gopal Nagarkatte, as part of internal administrative decisions.
The Donation Row
The latest disclosure comes after an SIT probe was launched into allegations that donations made by devotees were syphoned off by a network of individuals rather than the Trust itself.
Investigators have so far recovered cash, gold, silver, foreign currency and donation boxes carrying QR codes during searches. Eight people have been arrested so far and the SIT has also been granted additional time to widen its probe as it examines the alleged diversion of donations and the role of those arrested.
The Trust has consistently maintained that the alleged criminal acts under investigation are separate from its official accounting system and says the latest disclosure demonstrates that donations received by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra have been fully documented and utilised for temple construction, operations and religious activities.
About the Author
Apoorva Misra is a News Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers. Foll…Read More
Ayodhya, India, India
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
