Ram Mandir Donation Theft: 200 One-Kg Silver Bricks Missing; No Change In Counting Staff Despite Confirmed Negligence

Jagran correspondent, Ayodhya: Amidst the ongoing SIT investigation into the theft of offerings to Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, fresh reports of missing gold, silver and ornaments donated to Ram Lalla have surfaced. Raju Manwani, International President of the Vishwa Sindhi Seva Sangam, has now come forward and alleged the disappearance of 200 silver bricks donated to the temple.

While talking to the media, he said that the Sindhi community handed over silver bricks to Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, at Karsevakpuram. At that time, no receipt was given, nor was any clear evidence provided regarding their usefulness.

Raju Manwani, a resident of Mumbai, said that after the Supreme Court's decision, the Sindhi community donated silver bricks to the trust to be used in the temple's construction. Sindhi communities from across the world, including approximately 12 countries, contributed to this effort.

On January 26, 2021, about 150 representatives of the community arrived in Ayodhya and handed over 200 silver bricks to Champat Rai at Karsevakpuram. Each silver brick weighed approximately one kilogram.

They were subsequently given no receipts, nor any evidence of their use. Now that the theft of the offerings has come to light, they suspect that the Sindhi community's silver bricks have also been stolen.

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No change in SBI's counting staff 

Meanwhile, questions are also being raised over no change in the workforce related to donation responsibilities and no change in the role of trustees despite confirmed negligence and embezzlement.

The counting is still being done by the same State Bank of India (SBI) employees who have been questioned.

The agency responsible for collecting and transporting cash to the counting room has also not been changed at the bank level. It is being reported that all the employees involved in this work are on duty as before. The Trust has removed suspicious employees from its own level and the process is being carried out under the supervision of a former military officer.

The State Bank of India has been entrusted with the responsibility of counting the cash received as donations from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

The bank has deployed nine of its own employees. These employees have been performing this task continuously for many years. The bank has also authorised the Sainik Services Company of Varanasi, whose approximately 25 employees collect cash from donation boxes. The bank employees oversee the counting, while the counting of the cash is entrusted to six employees of the trust.

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After the embezzlement during the counting process came to light on June 5th, the SIT investigation began, exposing widespread flaws.

Questions were also raised about the role of bank employees. Mahipal Singh, the former accounting officer of the trust, also came forward and raised questions by naming two bank employees.

Despite this, the bank management has not yet removed any employee. SBI Ayodhya branch manager Anoop Tripathi said that no one has been removed yet. Higher officials will determine who will be assigned the work. The matter is currently under investigation.