Ram Temple Donation Case Ayodhya Police Record Champat Rai's Statement. (Image: Internet)
Ayodhya: The investigation into the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has gathered momentum, with police recording the statement of former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai.
According to Uttar Pradesh Police sources, Rai's statement has already been recorded as part of the ongoing investigation. Statements of former trustee Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao are yet to be taken, with officials expected to question them in the coming days.
Investigators are carrying out the inquiry in phases and are expected to examine nearly 140 individuals connected to the temple's donation management system. Officials said the questioning will follow a pattern similar to the earlier interrogation conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Apart from former trustees, police are expected to question donation counting staff, cash transport personnel, bank officials involved in depositing funds and security staff responsible for overseeing the process.
The latest development follows extensive raids at 10 locations linked to the investigation. Search operations reportedly lasted between six and eight hours, during which family members of some accused individuals were detained for questioning.
According to sources, investigators recovered cash, jewellery, bank passbooks, property registration papers, purchase agreements and jewellery bills. Police are also examining several recently acquired properties allegedly linked to the accused, with some reportedly registered in the names of family members.
The alleged donation embezzlement came to light after an SIT inquiry highlighted serious lapses in the temple's donation handling system. Eight people associated with counting cash and valuables have already been arrested in the case.
The preliminary findings pointed to violations of standard operating procedures, including the absence of mandatory security measures, inadequate frisking during cash counting and failure to preserve CCTV footage for the required period.
Police are now analysing seized financial records to trace the movement of funds and determine whether additional individuals were involved in the alleged irregularities.
