Ayodhya: The Ram Mandir Donation Row has taken a major turn after Ayodhya Police arrested all eight people named in an FIR over the alleged misuse of donations received at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. The arrests came two days after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted its initial report to the Uttar Pradesh government. Meanwhile, police have started questioning the accused as the investigation moves forward.
How the Investigation Started
The Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member SIT on June 13 after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust requested an investigation. Later, the SIT submitted its report, and police registered an FIR against eight people.
Police arrested all eight accused on Thursday night. Now, officials are questioning them and will produce them before a magistrate. The accused handled cash and valuable donations received at the temple.
The case involves claims that ₹7 crore to ₹7.5 crore in donations were wrongly used. Earlier, former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey raised the issue on June 7, leading to political reactions across Uttar Pradesh.
The arrested people include Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Rama Shankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava.
Religious Leaders Seek Strict Action
Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, filed the complaint. After that, police booked the accused under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including theft, criminal breach of trust, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy.
Meanwhile, several religious leaders welcomed the arrests. However, many demanded a wider and faster investigation. Karpatri Maharaj said he was not satisfied with the SIT probe. He also urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take strict action against everyone involved.
Similarly, Saket Bhawan Peethadhishwar Sitaram Das Ji Maharaj welcomed the FIR and asked the government to fast-track the case. Moreover, Priest Rambhavan Pandey praised the arrests, while Rameshdas Maharaj demanded action against every person responsible.
Case Reaches Supreme Court
Meanwhile, the Ram Mandir Donation Row has reached the Supreme Court. A fresh petition seeks a court-monitored investigation and a CBI-led SIT to examine the alleged missing funds and financial irregularities.However, opposition parties claim the FIR does not fix responsibility on senior Trust officials. Therefore, they have demanded a wider investigation.
The Uttar Pradesh government has said the investigation will continue. Finally, officials have assured that anyone found guilty will face strict legal action.