- SIT tenure extended by 15 days for thorough investigation.
- Temple administrator Gopal Rao among 10 individuals questioned.
- Lawyers to file FIR against Ram Mandir trust officials.
Jagran Correspondent, Ayodhya: Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, on Wednesday said that while his service in Ayodhya is complete, he will not leave with a stain on his reputation.
Speaking to close friends, Rai expressed that his trust had been deeply betrayed, adding that he will not make any further comments on the matter until the ongoing investigation is completed, Jagran.com reported.
10 Individuals Questioned, SIT Gets 15-Day Extension
In a major development in the theft of offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, police on Wednesday questioned 10 individuals, including temple administrator Gopal Rao. Authorities also conducted targeted raids at the residences of three key accused, recovering a box and several documents.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has granted a 15-day extension to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to ensure a thorough and fair probe into the incident.
How Has The Ayodhya Ram Mandir Theft Probe Unfolded So Far?
Since the incident first came to light on June 5, the investigation has moved at a rapid pace. At the request of the temple trust, CM Adityanath formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 13, led by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant. The SIT began its probe on June 15 and was instructed to submit a preliminary report within a week and a final report within a fortnight.
The SIT submitted its first report on June 23, after which an FIR was registered on June 25 based on a complaint by trustee Krishnamohan, leading to the arrest of eight individuals: Ramshankar Yadav (alias Tinnu Yadav), Subhash Srivastava, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Yadav, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Lavkush Mishra, and Ramashankar Mishra.
All the accused have been charged with forgery, fraud, theft, and criminal conspiracy linked to irregularities in the manual receipt matching between the temple's donation boxes and its bank accounts.
10 Questioned, Raids Conducted And Remand Sought For Main Accused
Intensifying their investigation into the theft of offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, police questioned 10 individuals on Wednesday at the Command Centre, including temple administrator Gopal Rao. Raids were conducted across the ancestral villages of key accused Lavkush, Anukul, and Karunesh in Milkipur, Khandasa, and Rudauli. Police have detained Lavkush's father.
The probe has revealed annual transactions of Rs 24 lakh (approximately $2.4 million) in the bank account of Lavkush's wife, Supriya. Given that Supriya is a housewife, authorities are tracking the source of these funds.
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Meanwhile, Investigating Officer and Circle Officer Ashutosh Tiwari has filed an application in the court of Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Rajat Verma, seeking a 48-hour police remand for the prime accused, Avinash Shukla. According to Special Prosecution Officer Sanjay Dubey, following an initial interrogation in jail on Monday, Avinash's custody is crucial for recovering the remaining stolen goods. While Rs 20 lakh in cash has already been seized from him, a formal hearing on the remand application is scheduled to take place today, July 2. Additionally, upon the request of the accused, the court has directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide him with legal representation (lawyer).
'Ramrajya Kosh' Box Recovered From Avinash's Yoga Centre; Lawyers To Demand FIR Against Trust Officials
Police recovered a donation box labelled 'Ramrajya Kosh' and bearing a Paytm QR code from accused Avinash's yoga centre in Kaushalpuri. Following the discovery, Bhaskar Singh, a resident of Chitaipur in Varanasi, claimed that the organisation belonged to him, stating that he had placed the box there and that its account is held at UCO Bank in Ayodhya. While investigators found that the bank account is active, the QR code on the box is old and inactive.
Meanwhile, advocates led by Faizabad Bar Association President Kalika Prasad Mishra have decided to file a complaint at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station on Thursday at 12:00 PM. The advocates are demanding that a case be registered against temple trust general secretary Champat Rai, member Dr Anil Mishra, and administrator Gopal Rao, all of whom they allege have been kept out of the investigation so far.
(With Inputs From Jagran.com)