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The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple may submit an interim report to the Supreme Court on Monday in compliance with the apex court's directions, sources said on Friday. Sources further said the SIT may seek more time from the Uttar Pradesh government to finalise its investigation into the alleged financial irregularities related to donations received by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The development comes days after the Supreme Court, while hearing petitions seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged donation embezzlement, directed the SIT to submit a status report on its investigation. The three-member SIT, comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan, was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13 at the request of the trust. It was initially given 15 days to complete the probe, but i
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya is expected to submit its final report to the Uttar Pradesh government shortly, sources said on Thursday. The SIT's findings are likely to pave the way for sweeping changes in the temple's administration and donation-counting system. The three-member SIT, constituted by the UP government on June 13 at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, was initially given 15 days to complete its probe. But its tenure was extended by another 15 days on July 1, and barring an unlikely second extension, the report is now expected shortly. "We expect the report anytime soon, say by evening or within the next 24 hours at the most," a source familiar with the matter told PTI, indicating that another extension of the SIT's tenure is unlikely. The final report assumes significance as its recommendations are expected to be discussed in detail by the temple trust and coul
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Special Investigation Team formed by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the alleged embezzlement of donation money at the Ram temple in Ayidhya to submit a status report in the matter. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohna also issued a notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on pleas seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the donations 'theft' row. Narendra Kumar Goswami, one of the three petitioners, moved the top court seeking a CBI probe into the matter. He also sought a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the finances of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the affairs of the Ram temple. Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav filed the second petition seeking similar measures. Besides seeking a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe, the third petition filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh has sought a forensic audit of the entire finances of the .
Ram Temple Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra on Sunday stated that the responsibilities and powers of the first-ever Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ayodhya temple will be determined by the temple Trust. The primary responsibility of the CEO will be to uphold the faith of the devotees in the trust, he said. "The new CEO will also oversee financial arrangements," Mishra told reporters in Ayodhya, adding that there won't be any "government interference" in the functioning of the trust or its CEO. Mishra added that ensuring that devotees visiting Ayodhya receive all necessary amenities and maintaining their trust in the temple will be among the new CEO's initial responsibilities. "In a way, the CEO will work as an assistant of the trust, sans government interference," Mishra said, noting that a three-member panel has been set up to recommend suitable candidates for the CEO's post to the trust. Ultimately, it is up to the trust to determine how much authority to ..
Ram Temple Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra on Saturday said the alleged donation theft at the Ayodhya temple was a disgraceful blot (kalank), and everyone felt utterly humiliated because of it. He expressed confidence, however, that the temple management system would be improved to avoid a repeat of such incidents. Mishra arrived in Ayodhya on Friday for the first day of the Ram Temple Construction Committee's meeting. "This (alleged donation theft) is a disgrace, and we all are not just apologetic but feeling humiliated and let down by it," Mishra told reporters ahead of the second day of the committee's meeting. "This is (now) an issue pertaining to temple management, and the management would surely be improved to guard against a repeat of this (alleged donation theft)," he said. Mishra, who was among the first to raise the demand for the appointment of a temple trust CEO, said a high-level committee has been set up to suggest a suitable name. There are specula
The Supreme Court would hear a batch of pleas seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on July 13. On July 7, an Ayodhya court granted one-day police remand for three of the eight accused arrested in connection with the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple. The court authorised the remand for Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra and Karunesh Pandey. On June 29, a local court had sent all the eight accused to 14-day judicial custody. According to the Supreme Court website, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana will hear as many as three petitions filed on the issue when the apex court reopens on Monday. Narendra Kumar Goswami, one of the three petitioners, has moved the top court seeking a CBI probe into the incident. He also sought a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the finances of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the affairs
Over half of the employees engaged in counting donations at the Ram temple have resigned amid the ongoing investigation into the alleged embezzlement of offerings, reducing the strength of counting personnel to just around a dozen, sources said on Friday. Trust sources said attendance at the donation counting centre had already dropped after the case came to light, with only 15-20 of the around 40 personnel regularly reporting for duty due to fear following the investigation. According to the sources, around 20 of the counting staff have resigned from their duty. The employees who resigned cited increased workload, saying the counting process has become more time-consuming after the alleged theft surfaced. The employees also said the counting exercise, which was earlier carried out in two shifts, has now been reduced to a single shift lasting around nine to 10 hours, without any increase in wages. They further said that while donations were earlier counted on tables and chairs, the
AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday sought stricter action against the "donation thieves" in the Ayodhya Ram temple embezzlement case and said people want them to be hanged. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said the alleged irregularities were serious, noting that an FIR had been registered in the matter. "If no theft had taken place, an FIR would not have been lodged, and eight people would not have been arrested," he said, adding that it is people's demand that the "donation thieves be hanged". "Only FIR is not sufficient," he added. He also alleged that many temples and religious institutions across the country had come under the control of people involved in donation theft. Such institutions should be freed from their control and handed over to religious leaders for proper management, the AAP chief said. Kejriwal added that those who are raising the issue are being targeted instead they are demanding action against the alleged culprits.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple here will conduct a re-audit of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's accounts for the past five years after the preliminary probe indicated large-scale irregularities, sources said on Friday. The re-audit will cover construction-related expenditure as well as jewellery and other gold and silver items received as donations, the sources said. The SIT will carry out a detailed scrutiny of the Trust's financial records for the entire five-year period, the sources said. In another development, the Ayodhya Police questioned key accused Avinash Shukla after taking him into custody. Shukla, who was involved in donation-counting work, was arrested earlier in the case, and a local court on Thursday granted his police custody for 24 hours. Police sources said Shukla, from whose possession the highest cash recovery in the case has been made so far, is facing intensified legal ...
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the BJP, Bajrang Dal and VHP over the alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations and dubbed them as "farzi Hindus" who had "looted" Lord Ram. Sibal, a senior advocate, alleged that the organisations sought votes in the name of Lord Ram. In a post on X, Sibal said, "VHP, BJP, Bajrang Dal -- 'Ram ke naam pe vote to leinge, fir Ram ko hi woh looteinge (They will seek votes in the name of Ram and then loot Ram himself)." "Asli Hindu ye kya jaane, ye to farzi Hindu hain (What do they know of real Hindus, they are fake Hindus)," the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said. The alleged embezzlement came to light after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings, following which an FIR was registered on June 25. Eight accused were subsequently arrested, and police said nearly Rs 80 lakh in cash, besides some foreign currency, has been recovered so far from s
The Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) has served a notice to the wife of Ram temple donation theft accused Lavkush Mishra over the alleged unauthorised construction of a house under her name, as the police intensified their investigation into the alleged embezzlement case, official and police sources said on Thursday. According to ADA sources, the house under construction is located in Banvirpur village in Sohawal tehsil. The land was purchased in the name of Lavkush Mishra's wife, Supriya Mishra, and the construction was undertaken without obtaining the mandatory approval from the development authority. Police sources said investigators also searched Lavkush Mishra's residence on Wednesday and questioned his family members as part of the ongoing probe. Investigators may tighten the legal proceedings against accused Avinash Shukla, from whose possession the highest cash recovery in the case has been made so far, police sources indicated. According to police sources, cash recoveri
The general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai, and its member Anil Mishra have tendered their resignation, the Trust said on Saturday and assured that a fair inquiry will be conducted into allegations related to the Ram temple donations. A statement from the temple Trust, issued by its treasurer Govind Dev Giri, said that the Trust has received the two resignations and will take a decision on them at its next meeting on July 11. The Trust said that they are shocked, hurt and deeply saddened by the recent developments and are duty-bound to ensure that a fair inquiry is conducted and the faith of devotees is restored. Eight persons named in an FIR over the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya were arrested on Thursday night, according to police.
The Congress on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and demanded the immediate arrest of those behind the "scam". Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Akhilesh Prasad Singh said the investigation of this entire matter should be conducted under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court judge because the corruption is "deep-rooted". He also demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible in the trust against whom serious allegations have been made, and that the trust be dissolved as it has lost the "people's trust". Singh also alleged that the incident reveals that BJP leaders are not "true Ram bhakts" because they did not maintain Lord Ram's 'maryada' by not ordering an investigation themselves. "The country wants to know why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent on such a big issue... "Prime Minister Narendra Modi should step forward to ensure a fair investigation of t