The investigation into the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya continued on Wednesday as Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj had a closed-door meeting with former general secretary Champat Rai, and police questioned three accused in custody.
The high-level meeting comes at a time when the Trust is under intense scrutiny over the alleged misappropriation of devotees’ offerings and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues to probe the case.
First meeting since Champat Rai's Resignation
According to sources, Swami Govind Dev Giri arrived at Tirtha Kshetra Bhavan at 7:15 a.m. and met Champat Rai for nearly two hours.
The meeting was significant because it was the first interaction between two senior Trust functionaries since Champat Rai left as General Secretary for reasons of donation theft.
The discussions took place in private with Govind Dev Giri and Champat Rai involved, sources said. Although Gopal Rao was present at the premises, he did not join the discussion.
The meeting has aroused speculation as to its significance, especially in light of the SIT investigation and Champat Rai’s recent written statement to investigators.
A day before, Krishna Mohan and Bajrang Lal Bagra had also met Champat Rai, indicating increased activity in the Trust as the investigation progresses.
Trust Restructuring Underway
These developments follow the Trust's meeting today in which the resignation of Champat Rai and Trust member Anil Mishra were accepted.
The Trust will take up the appointment of a new General Secretary on July 22. Krishna Mohan, a retired IFS officer, is now the favorite to replace Champat Rai in a permanent role.
Treasurer points to SOP Lapses
Swami Govind Dev Giri said that the alleged theft occurred because the prescribed SOP for offerings was not applied strictly.
He explained that the Treasurer’s job is to protect the money deposited in the Trust’s Treasury and manage its income and expenditure.
To him, monitoring the collection and handling of temple offerings was the responsibility of personnel deployed at the temple, with Anil Mishra being the primary oversight.
Govind Dev Giri also said that Gopal Rao was not a trustee nor a member of the Trust. He added that the negligence on the part of the State Bank of India (SBI) had also contributed to the incident.
Three suspects are in police custody
On the other hand, investigators are investigating after getting one day police custody of three suspects in the alleged donation embezzlement case.
Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, and Karunesh Pandey were taken from the Ayodhya District Jail to the Ayodhya Police Lines for custodial interrogation after a local court granted police remand.
Police had argued before the court that questioning the accused in custody was necessary to reveal more and to demonstrate the extent of the alleged embezzlement.
The Investigating Officer said the custodial interrogation could help identify the flow of funds, possible accomplices, and other aspects of the alleged racket.
And with the SIT continuing its investigation, the Trust undergoing leadership changes, and key accused in custody, the Ram Temple donation theft case has become one of the most closely watched investigations in recent weeks.
