Ram Temple Donation Theft: Biggest Misappropriation Allegedly Took Place During Maha Kumbh, Say Sources

The investigation into the alleged donation theft at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has taken a significant turn, with sources claiming that the largest-scale misappropriation of offerings took place during the Maha Kumbh period. While the police have not officially confirmed these findings, the claims have emerged as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and police continue their probe into the case. According to sources, the eight arrested accused allegedly conspired to carry out the theft and had been involved in smaller instances of stealing donations even before the Maha Kumbh. However, the alleged embezzlement reportedly increased substantially during the religious gathering due to the surge in donations. Sources further claim that Lav Kush Mishra and Anukalp Mishra allegedly siphoned off the highest amount of donations. The role of certain employees associated with the State Bank of India (SBI) is also said to be under scrutiny, although no official findings have been announced regarding their involvement. Investigators reportedly began examining the case after suspicious activities came to light on May 27. The probe initially focused on Lav Kush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Ramashankar Mishra, and Avinash Shukla, all of whom were later detained for questioning. Sources also allege that after the matter surfaced, Champat Rai reportedly went to file an FIR. However, during the visit, Anil Mishra allegedly facilitated a phone conversation, following which Champat Rai returned without registering the complaint. These claims have not been officially confirmed by the police. Meanwhile, investigators questioned accused Avinash Shukla inside jail for nearly three hours. According to sources, the highest amount of recovered cash was allegedly found in his possession. During court proceedings, police stated that a total of ₹79.84 lakh had been recovered from all eight accused, with the largest share allegedly recovered from Avinash Shukla. Investigators are examining how an outsourced employee allegedly came to possess such a substantial amount of cash. The SIT and police continue to investigate the case, and officials have maintained that further action will depend on the evidence gathered during the ongoing probe.

Go to Source