NEW DELHI: The special investigation team probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was granted a 15-day extension on Wednesday to expand the scope of the investigation and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into all aspects of the case.The SIT will continue its investigation with the aim of taking the case to its logical conclusion through a fair and comprehensive probe.This comes after a local court in Ayodhya remanded all the accused in the alleged Ram Mandir donation case to 14-day judicial custody. The court’s decision follows a high-intensity investigation by the Uttar Pradesh police into reports of financial irregularities and the misappropriation of funds and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.Earlier on Friday, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust general secretary Champat Rai and member trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking moral responsibility for the incident.Following this, Rai’s statement was recorded by the police as part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations, sources said on Monday.Champat Rai has been questioned; statements from other senior Trust office-bearers, including Anil Mishra, will be recorded later if required during the investigation. On Sunday, the investigation into the alleged embezzlement of Ram Mandir donations intensified as a police team reached the residence of Avinash Shukla, one of the accused in Ayodhya.Earlier, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra (Trust), in an official press statement, said, “We are shocked, hurt, and deeply saddened by the incidents reported over the past few days regarding the Shri Ram Mandir (Ayodhya). We are committed to ensuring a fair investigation and reassuring the devotees.”The Trust also announced that it had received the resignations of Champat Rai, general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra (Trust), and trustee Anil Mishra.The development came after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered on June 25 in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
