Ram Temple Donation Thieves Used Coordinated Calls and Fixed Roles: Report

Ayodhya : The investigation into the multi-crore donation theft at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple has exposed a sophisticated operation where the accused meticulously planned their activities through phone calls and assigned specific roles before their shifts, according to police sources.  

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the embezzlement found that the accused exploited systemic lapses in the donation-counting process to steal an estimated ₹2–3 crore over several months. Investigations revealed that the thefts occurred during the evening counting shift, with the accused allegedly striking at least 70 times in just 40 days.  Modus Operandi and Administrative FalloutThe accused reportedly leveraged "blind spots" in CCTV surveillance and ignored mandatory frisking protocols.

By coordinating their actions, they allegedly moved from stealing individual notes to siphoning off entire bundles of cash, which were later funneled through the bank accounts of relatives, invested in the stock market, or used to purchase property and luxury goods.  Eight individuals, including temple staff and a retired bank employee, have been arrested. The scandal has triggered a major administrative overhaul, resulting in the resignations of senior trust officials, including General Secretary Champat Rai.

The temple trust has since replaced the two-shift counting system with a single-shift model to enhance oversight.  As the Supreme Court seeks a status report on the SIT probe, the investigation continues to trace further financial trails, with authorities freezing multiple bank accounts linked to the accused and their associates.