The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya is likely to revisit the temple town soon to examine records and question functionaries of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, official sources said.
The SIT, headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13 following allegations of misappropriation of cash and valuables donated at the temple.
It submitted a preliminary report to the state government on June 23, and its tenure was extended by 15 days on July 1 to complete the investigation.
The team is expected to scrutinise the temple's donation management system and examine whether procedural lapses contributed to the alleged theft.
The probe has also prompted the trust to review its banking arrangements for donations. Currently, cash collected from the temple's donation boxes is deposited with the State Bank of India (SBI) branch at Naya Ghat in Ayodhya. The trust is exploring alternatives, including engaging another bank or splitting deposits among multiple banks, sources said.
The review follows a meeting between trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri and officials of a private sector bank earlier this week.
Former trust general secretary Champat Rai, in his statement to the SIT, alleged that SBI had failed to enforce basic safeguards during cash handling, including mandatory frisking of counting staff, pocketless uniforms and other security protocols for high-value cash operations.
The SIT's preliminary findings also flagged repeated violations of security procedures during cash counting and examined whether inadequate supervision facilitated the alleged embezzlement, according to sources.
Meanwhile, the financial investigation has widened, with police seeking details of the accused persons' income, bank accounts, investments and movable and immovable assets from the Income Tax Department, banks, tehsil offices and sub-registrar offices.
Eight people, including trust employees involved in the temple's donation-counting process, have been arrested so far. Police have recovered around Rs 80 lakh in cash and some jewellery from some of the accused.
Investigators are also examining whether the accused acquired assets outside Ayodhya or made investments in the names of relatives or associates. Banking transactions, land records, property registrations, revenue documents and vehicle registrations are being scrutinised to determine whether the assets are disproportionate to their known sources of income.
Separately, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura has tightened its security protocol by discontinuing VIP passes issued through the identification credentials of former trust general secretary Champat Rai, Gopal Rao and trustee Dr Anil Mishra.
The identification credentials used to generate such passes were deactivated after the three resigned from their positions, rendering previously issued passes invalid, sources said.
Police have also sought seven days' custodial remand of two jailed accused, saying fresh disclosures during the investigation require verification and recovery of evidence. The Anti-Corruption Court is scheduled to hear the plea on July 14.
(With inputs from PTI)
