All eight individuals named in the FIR regarding the alleged misappropriation of donations and offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya have been taken into custody. The arrests came after the filing of an FIR concerning theft at the grand temple. The complaint leading to the case was lodged by Shri Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust.
The accused, including Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu, were involved in the counting of cash and valuables received as donations. They were reportedly caught on camera embezzling valuables. Here are details about the eight accused individuals implicated in the donation scandal.
Ram Shankar Yadav, also known as Tinnu Yadav, is a central figure in the alleged theft at the Ram Temple. His connections with Ram Temple Kshetra Trust’s general secretary, Champat Rai, have drawn significant attention and controversy. Allegations suggest he diverted around Rs 50 crore of temple funds to construct a luxurious home.
Rama Shankar Mishra, another accused involved in donation counting, has been accused of conspiring to divert temple funds. Lavkush Mishra, the son-in-law of Rama Shankar Mishra, was found with a sum of cash at his residence during the investigation into the misappropriation. Anukalp Mishra, son of Rama Shankar Mishra, collaborated with family members to steal valuables.
Avinash Shukla, associated with Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, had Rs 5 lakh recovered from his account. Manish Yadav, nephew of Tinnu Yadav, was found with stolen money at his home and was part of the donation counting process. Subhash Shrivastava, a former bank employee, supervised the cash-counting staff and played a significant role in the embezzlement. Karunesh Pandey, also in custody, allegedly manipulated donation receipts to conceal the wrongdoing.
It is noteworthy that the State Bank of India was responsible for tallying cash, offerings, and valuables at the temple.
