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Amid the donation theft charges, both Mishra and Rai had resigned from their positions at the Trust, which manages the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.
Image of Ram Temple Trust’s former general secretary Champat Rai.
Ram Temple Trust’s former general secretary Champat Rai on Tuesday got a clean chit from the Special Investigation Team, which has been investigating the alleged donation theft case, according to NDTV.
The SIT also gave a clean chit to Anil Mishra, a former member of the Trust. Amid the donation theft charges, both Mishra and Rai had resigned from their positions at the Trust, which manages the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.
The Uttar Pradesh Home Department on Monday submitted the final report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for further action.
The report follows an investigation into alleged irregularities in the management of donations at the temple, with former Trust general secretary Champat Rai and former treasurer Govind Dev Giri’s aide Mishra questioned by the SIT over the matter.
Rai and Mishra had resigned from their positions in the Trust on June 27 after allegations of theft surfaced.
Champat Rai Denies Any Wrongdoing
During questioning, Rai denied any involvement in the alleged wrongdoing and told investigators that he was the one who had lodged the complaint that eventually led to the arrest of the suspects, according to reports.
Also Read: ‘Hardline Hindu? Pure Veg? Do You Wear Janeu?’: Ram Temple Authorities’ Questions For CEO Candidates
Rai also reportedly told the SIT that ensuring transparency and preventing irregularities in the collection of donations was part of his responsibility. He maintained that he acted promptly after learning about the alleged misconduct.
The three-member SIT was formed by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13 following a request from the temple trust. It was headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, with Range Inspector General Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan Kumar as its other members.
The panel submitted its preliminary findings to the state government on June 23 and made several recommendations concerning the alleged irregularities.
Following the preliminary report, Trust member Krishnamohan submitted a written complaint at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi police station. An FIR was subsequently registered on June 25.
Ayodhya Temple Donation Row
A controversy broke out in early June after discrepancies were allegedly uncovered in the counting of donations received at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Acting on the temple trust’s recommendation, the Uttar Pradesh government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged financial irregularities.
During the investigation, the SIT reportedly found prima facie evidence suggesting misappropriation of funds, leading to the registration of an FIR.
The case named eight accused – Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, besides unidentified persons.
All eight have been arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The SIT’s preliminary findings subsequently formed the basis for further FIRs and arrests in connection with the alleged donation-related irregularities.
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Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st…Read More
Ayodhya, India, India
August 18, 2026, 09:38 IST
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