A Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) has alleged that the misappropriation of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya took place during the cash-counting process, according to a nearly 70,000-page chargesheet filed in the case.
The chargesheet states that a group of individuals allegedly removed, concealed and later distributed stolen funds among themselves. The document is based on extensive evidence gathered during the investigation, including thousands of messages, recovered cash and valuables, witness statements, banking records, forensic audits and CCTV footage.
According to the SIT, investigators identified 105 separate incidents in which cash was allegedly removed or hidden without authorization from the donation-counting area. These incidents were detected through the examination of CCTV recordings and their correlation with other digital and financial evidence.
Eight accused have been named in the chargesheet: Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla alias Shani, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramshankar Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinu, and Subhash Srivastava. All eight are currently in judicial custody.
Police have identified Anukalp Mishra as the alleged mastermind behind the conspiracy.
Case Registered Following Trust Complaint
The case was registered on June 25 after a complaint by Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The complaint followed an initial SIT inquiry into alleged irregularities in the management of temple donations.
The chargesheet details how investigators examined surveillance footage alongside digital records, witness testimonies, banking transactions and forensic audit findings to trace the alleged diversion of funds from the counting centre.
No Evidence Found in Bank Transfer Process
The SIT stated that it found no evidence of wrongdoing during the subsequent transfer of counted money to banks. According to the investigation, the alleged irregularities were confined to the donation-counting stage.
Investigators also tracked the alleged money trail through bank accounts, properties, vehicles and other assets linked to the accused and their relatives. The inquiry sought to determine how the allegedly misappropriated funds were moved and utilized.
Police said they recovered Rs 79.85 lakh believed to be connected to the suspected scam from seven of the eight accused. No recovery was reported from Subhash Srivastava, according to the chargesheet.
The case remains under judicial process, with the SIT's findings forming a key part of the prosecution's allegations regarding the handling of Ram Mandir donation funds.