Ayodhya: A major alleged donation theft at the Ram Temple has come to light after hidden cameras reportedly exposed employees siphoning off cash from donation boxes before it was officially counted. The Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested eight accused in connection with the case, while investigators continue to probe whether the alleged embezzlement was part of a larger organised racket.
The alleged fraud surfaced after members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust noticed irregularities in the amount of money being deposited into bank accounts despite a steady flow of donations from devotees. The discovery has prompted a detailed police investigation and recommendations to strengthen the temple’s donation management system.
Suspicion arose after repeated cash shortages
According to sources, concerns emerged in the last week of May when Trust officials reviewed the daily process of opening donation boxes and depositing the collected cash into banks.
Typically, each donation box contains around Rs 6 lakh to Rs 7 lakh when opened. However, officials allegedly observed that bundles of Rs 500 notes were consistently falling short over several weeks, despite no visible irregularities in the counting process.
The repeated discrepancies prompted senior Trust members to closely monitor the handling of donations.
Hidden cameras allegedly exposed the theft
To identify the source of the discrepancies, some Trust members reportedly installed hidden cameras inside the room where donations were counted.
According to investigators, the footage captured a coordinated method of theft that had escaped the regular CCTV surveillance system.
Police sources alleged that while one employee deliberately blocked the view of the visible CCTV cameras, another employee quietly removed currency notes from bundles and concealed them inside his clothing.
Although the regular surveillance cameras failed to capture the alleged theft, the hidden cameras reportedly recorded the entire sequence, providing investigators with crucial evidence.
Another method allegedly involved manipulating cash bundles
Investigators also uncovered another alleged technique used to siphon off money during the counting process.
According to sources, employees responsible for bundling cash allegedly inserted extra currency notes into individual bundles. When the money reached the bank, officials reportedly counted only the number of bundles instead of recounting every note before preparing the deposit vouchers.
During transportation from the temple to the bank, the additional notes were allegedly removed from the bundles.
This method ensured that the deposited cash matched the voucher while allowing the accused to allegedly pocket the excess currency without immediately raising suspicion.
Eight people under investigation
Police have arrested eight accused in connection with the alleged fraud.
Among those named is Anukalp Mishra, who was reportedly associated with preparing donation vouchers. Investigators allege he carried out the manipulation with the help of his brother-in-law, Lavkush Mishra.
Police reportedly recovered lakhs of rupees from Lavkush Mishra’s residence during the investigation.
According to investigators, several employees involved in counting donations had been appointed through personal recommendations or acquaintances.
For instance, Tinnu Yadav, who worked as the driver of Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and later became a manager, allegedly facilitated the appointment of his cousin Manish Yadav to the cash-counting team.
Similarly, Anukalp Mishra is alleged to have helped his brother-in-law secure a role in the same process.
Investigators are examining whether these appointments contributed to weaknesses in the donation management system.
Lack of security checks allegedly enabled theft
Officials have identified another major security lapse during the investigation.
According to sources, employees leaving the donation counting room were allegedly not subjected to physical searches after completing their shifts.
Investigators believe this allowed individuals to gradually remove cash concealed in their clothing from the room where donation boxes were opened, currency was sorted and bundles were prepared.
The absence of exit checks is now being viewed as one of the major vulnerabilities that allegedly enabled the theft.
Bank deposits matched alleged stolen money
During the investigation, police reportedly examined CCTV footage involving one of the accused, Avinash Pandey.
Investigators alleged that the money seen being taken in the footage corresponded with deposits made into his personal bank account on the same dates.
According to sources, Trust officials cross-verified the transactions during questioning and found that part of the allegedly stolen donation money had been deposited into his account.
These findings are now forming part of the evidence being examined by investigators.
Investigation continues
Police said the alleged theft occurred before the donations were officially counted and before the donation boxes were formally processed.
An FIR has been registered against the accused, and investigators are examining whether additional individuals were involved in the alleged fraud.
Authorities are also probing whether the theft was carried out over a prolonged period and whether it was part of a larger organised network operating within the donation handling system.
The investigation remains ongoing, while officials are expected to implement stricter safeguards to improve transparency in handling temple donations.
Conclusion
The alleged donation theft has raised serious concerns over the management of cash contributions at one of India’s most visited religious institutions. With eight arrests already made and further investigations underway, authorities are focusing on uncovering the full extent of the alleged embezzlement while strengthening systems to prevent similar incidents in the future.