LUCKNOW: The second stretch of investigation into the alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations gathered momentum, especially after the registration of an FIR and the arrest of all eight named accused.
As part of the probe being carried out by the three-member SIT, the Ayodhya Police recorded the statement of former general Secretary of Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai, on Sunday.
Confirming the development, the police authorities said statements of several Trust functionaries and other persons associated with the temple's donation management system were being recorded. The action was aimed at weaving together the sequence of events and verifying the standard operating procedures followed in handling the offerings and the temple accounts.
Moreover, the upcoming meeting of the temple trust, which was scheduled to be held on July 11, has been preponed. The sources said that it would now take place on July 6 in Ayodhya.
According to sources, this time the meeting may be held at Karsevak Puram instead of Mani Ram Das Ji Ki Chhawani.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, a police team, led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP)-rank officer, questioned Rai for more than two hours.
Investigators reportedly sought detailed information on the entire donation management process, from the receipt of cash and valuables offered by devotees, the counting process, safe custody, and eventual deposit in designated bank accounts.
Sources said the interrogation was aimed at understanding the institutional mechanism governing temple donations, identifying the responsibilities of various officials at different stages of the process, and examining if any procedural lapses might have created opportunities for the alleged embezzlement.
It was the first time Rai's statement was recorded since he stepped down as the Trust's General Secretary on June 27, and the police registered an FIR in the alleged donation theft case.
"Following his questioning, Champat Rai left for Delhi on Sunday evening," said the sources.
Investigators are corroborating his statement with financial records, bank documents, CCTV footage, electronic evidence and other material collected during the course of the investigation.
Sources said the next in line to get his statement recorded would be Temple Trust member Anil Mishra, while statements of several other individuals associated with the Trust had already been taken or were currently being recorded.
The exercise forms part of the investigators' effort to reconstruct the movement of donations and establish accountability at every stage of the handling process.
The probe gathered momentum over the past few days, with investigators examining financial transactions, documentary evidence and witness testimonies to determine the alleged conspiracy and trace the movement of funds linked to the case.
On Monday morning, at around 10:30 am, Ayodhya police visited the SBI Ayodhya Dham branch to examine the bank accounts of the eight accused currently lodged in jail.
Seven of the accused hold accounts at the same branch.
Police collected their bank statements and would now investigate how much money was deposited into their accounts after they began working at the Ram Temple.
Notices were also served to two SBI employees as part of the investigation.
