- Treasurer claimed Champat Rai knew about donation theft early.
- Giri defended Rai, stating he was betrayed by close associates.
- Giri refused to resign, denying responsibility for the controversy.
- Giri clarified he has no role in counting temple donations.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust Treasurer Govind Dev Giri has claimed that former general secretary Champat Rai became aware of the alleged donation theft before the issue surfaced publicly on social media.
Speaking exclusively to ABP News after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust accepted the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra in connection with the donation theft case, Giri said Rai had prior knowledge of the alleged incident. Although he did not name Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav directly, he suggested that Rai had learnt about the matter before the social media posts that brought it into the public domain.
The remarks come amid continuing scrutiny over the alleged theft of offerings made at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir and the Trust’s handling of the issue.
Govind Dev Giri Defends Champat Rai
During the interview, Giri described Champat Rai as an honourable and “spotless” individual, saying he had no intention of protecting anyone involved in the alleged theft.
He said Rai had placed his trust in the wrong people and claimed that some of his close associates had betrayed him.
Giri also acknowledged that Rai’s sense of “I” or ego had played a role in the developments, although he repeatedly defended the former Trust functionary during the conversation.
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Treasurer Rejects Questions On Resignation
When asked whether he bore any responsibility for the controversy and if he would consider stepping down, Giri strongly rejected the suggestion.
“I resign? Why should I resign?” he responded.
Following the exchange, his security personnel attempted to halt the interview, while Giri himself tried to remove the ABP News microphone from the reporter.
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‘No Role In Counting Donations’
Clarifying his position, Giri said he had no involvement in the counting of donations collected through the temple’s hundis.
“I had no role in counting the hundis earlier, and I have no role in it now,” he said.
His comments come after the Trust accepted the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra as the alleged donation theft case continues to draw political and public attention.
