Ayodhya's Ram Temple Overhauls Leadership Amid Donation Theft Scandal

The trust that manages the grand temple to the Hindu god Ram in Ayodhya, northern India, has announced a major leadership shake-up after allegations that tens of millions of rupees in donations were stolen.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said it had accepted the resignation of general secretary Champat Rai and appointed an interim official to replace him. The decision came at the trust's first meeting since the allegations surfaced last month.

One of India's most visited shrines

Inaugurated in January 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the temple has become one of India's most important pilgrimage centres, drawing an estimated 50 million visitors each year.

The shrine was one of Modi's key election promises. It stands on the site of a 16th-Century mosque that was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, an event that triggered nationwide riots in which nearly 2,000 people died.

Investigation and arrests

The trust had initially denied any wrongdoing. However, the state government set up a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the claims.

Following an interim report from the SIT, Ayodhya police registered a case of alleged embezzlement, naming eight people. Officers said the suspects had been arrested and were being questioned.

Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri told a press conference that Rai and another official, Anil Mishra, resigned after police lodged a complaint on 25 June. Retired forest officer Krishna Mohan, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — the umbrella organisation of Hindu nationalist groups that includes Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — was named interim general secretary.

Giri added that a new CEO post had been created, with a three-member panel set to recommend candidates for the role.

Scale of the donations

Detailing the temple's finances, Giri said the trust — which collects, sorts and counts the offerings — had received 5.82bn rupees ($61m; £45.63m) from devotees up to 31 March 2026. Of that, 3.19bn rupees ($33.48m; £25m) had been spent on the shrine's upkeep.

In his first comments, Mohan said his priority was to identify and close any loophole so such incidents are never repeated. He said the allegations had damaged the trust's image and generated distrust in society.

How the row unfolded

The allegations at one of India's most revered and politically significant temples were first raised by a former accounts supervisor, who says he was dismissed after flagging concerns internally.

His claims grew into a major political controversy, with opposition parties questioning how the cash, jewellery, gold and silver donated by devotees had been handled. Petitions were filed in the state high court and the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored investigation by the federal police.

The exact amount stolen remains unclear, but a former city legislator has alleged that more than 70m rupees ($739,550; £560,420) went missing. Champat Rai had previously rejected claims that donations or offerings were improperly handled.

At Monday's press conference, Giri did not specify how much money or valuables were taken, but demanded strict action against those responsible. He said the trust's primary concern was the harm done to devotees' sentiments and the institution's credibility, according to The Indian Express.

"Whether the theft was small or big comes later. The atmosphere that has been created is what has hurt all of us," he said. He described the theft from donation boxes during counting as "deeply painful and shameful for all of us".

Giri also stressed that "the temple trustees did not commit the theft", news agency ANI reported, blaming people whom Rai had trusted and kept close for many years. He said the trust would next meet on 22 July and expected the police to have submitted a final report by then.

As one of India's most closely watched religious institutions faces scrutiny over its finances, the outcome of the investigation could shape public trust in how such vast donations are managed. What are your thoughts on the case? Share this article and join the conversation.

Source: BBC News – World