LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the alleged embezzlement of donation funds from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, amid mounting calls for a transparent inquiry.
The SIT will be headed by Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant (2004-batch IAS) while comprising Lucknow range IG Kiran S (2008-batch IPS), who recently returned to the UP cadre after stints with the CBI and Interpol, and Neelratan Kumar, special secretary in the finance department with over 36 years of service in the state’s finance and accounts cadre.
The panel has been asked to submit a preliminary report within seven days and a final report within 15 days.
The alleged embezzlement from temple donation boxes came to light about a week ago, prompting the trust to initiate an internal probe.
Sources said trust officials had begun questioning suspects and attempting recovery of funds, with informal support from local police.
As public scrutiny intensified, the trust sought a formal probe, following which the state government swiftly intervened and ordered the SIT.
Officials said the SIT is expected to visit Ayodhya shortly to examine records, take over evidence collected so far, question suspects, and interact with trust officials involved in the preliminary inquiry.
Officials said the SIT will scrutinise how donation collections were handled, the internal control mechanisms in place, and whether other individuals were involved in the alleged diversion of funds.
Investigators are expected to examine records related to donation counting, cash handling, storage, and supervision, while also questioning employees and former staff members connected with the temple administration.
The probe assumes significance given the enormous volume of donations received by the Ram Temple from devotees across India and abroad.
Earlier, denying allegations that crores of rupees donated at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple had gone missing, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Saturday had urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to order an SIT probe into the matter.
The Trust had said the investigation would establish the facts and counter what it called misinformation surrounding the issue.