Published Jun 26, 2026 | 1:54 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 26, 2026 | 2:00 PM
Ram Temple in Ayodhya. (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: Champat Rai had been reportedly named in complaints. Both Rai and Dr Anil Mishra had been questioned in the investigation into the alleged embezzlement of funds. Eight people have already been arrested.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai has resigned from his post on Friday, say sources. Another trust member, Dr Anil Mishra, is also said to be quitting.
The resignations come a couple of days after a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted its preliminary report on the alleged embezzlement of donations and valuables from the Temple. According to reports, Rs 7-7.5 crore is missing.
A complaint by a former kar sevak had earlier named Champat Rai, while two other complaints reportedly question Rai’s role in the spending of Trust funds on inflated land deals.
The SIT had questioned both Rai and Dr Anil Mishra as well as the temple construction in-charge Gopal Rao.
Eight persons had been named in an FIR registered at the Ram Janmaboomi police station filed by Krishna Mohan of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Thursday.
They were identified as Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Manish Yadav, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Chandra Srivastava and Karunesh Pandey. Both Rai and Mishra have not been named in the FIR. But Ramshankar Yadav is said to be a close aide of Rai.
“Further questioning is underway. Police are preparing to present them before a magistrate,” a senior official was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.
The three-member SIT is headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant. Lucknow Range IG Kiran S and Finance Department Special Secretary Neelratan Kumar are its members.
The SIT’s investigation is set to shift to the criminal prosecution stage soon. Officials said more arrests were likely.
An investigation by Dainik Bhaskar had, meanwhile, revealed that no receipts were issued for a three-kg silver garland and a one-kg silver charan paduka (slippers) gifted by a Mumbai-based businessman, which is now being looked into by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
CM Yogi Adityanath had promised strict action against all those who are found to be guilty.
(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
