- Police to attach disproportionate properties of Ram Mandir theft accused.
- Key accused Avinash Shukla interrogated for nearly three hours.
- Temple trust officials questioned regarding accused employee appointments.
Jagran Correspondent, Ayodhya: Following the arrest of eight individuals in connection with the Ram Mandir donation theft case, police have begun preparations to attach their properties found disproportionate to their known sources of income. Investigators have already found documentation detailing investments across various sectors, as well as recovered cash and jewellery. Preparations are also underway to freeze the accused's bank accounts, with officials at further arrests as the probe widens.
Avinash Shukla Interrogated For Nearly Three Hours
Meanwhile, a police team, led by investigating officer Ashutosh Tripathi, reached the divisional jail on Tuesday and interrogated one of the key accused, Avinash Shukla, for nearly three hours. This comes after Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Rajat Verma remanded all eight suspects to 14 days of judicial custody until July 13.
Over 60 Summoned For Questioning
Police teams on Monday visited several bank branches in Ayodhyadham, including the Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, Axis Bank, and Canara Bank, to gather the bank statements and other details of the accused.
Authorities have summoned more than 60 individuals for questioning. These include Ram Temple administrator Gopal Rao and trustee Dr Anil Mishra, among others. While these officials were not questioned on Tuesday, a police team reached Karsevakpuram to directly inquire about the matter from temple trust General Secretary Champat Rai.
He was questioned about the appointment, background verification, and hiring recommendations of the accused employees. According to a report by Jagran.com, Rai expressed disbelief that Ramshankar Yadav could be involved in the theft.
Meanwhile, another accused, Avinash Shukla, was questioned by police regarding his recent expenses and the source of those funds. Investigators also asked who visited his house on June 5 to recover the money, and under whose instructions he was operating.
Officials stated that Shukla has provided details about the properties of the other accused individuals. Based on the clues obtained during this session, the police are expected to seek further remand of Shukla and the other accused.
Property Documents Seized; Registrar Foods Investigated
According to the report, during the interrogation of Avinash's brother, Abhishek, the police recovered investment-related forms. During the investigation, documents related to land purchases, Fixed Deposit (FD) forms, credit and debit cards, and receipts for jewellery and other expensive items were found from the houses of Tinnu Yadav, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Ram Shankar Mishra, Manish Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, and Subhash Srivastava.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Rudauli Kotwali Police Station In-charge Inspector Sanjay Maurya arrived at the registration office in the tehsil complex and investigated Lavkush Mishra's properties for nearly three hours. During the investigation, information was collected from the registrar and other employees in a closed room. Registry work at the office was temporarily halted during this time.
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Disproportionate Properties Of Accused Under Scanner
Ramashankar and the other accused come from humble backgrounds, with many of their ancestral homes remaining in a dilapidated condition. Despite this, they have purchased expensive plots of land elsewhere, built luxurious houses, and acquired expensive vehicles and mobile phones. Additionally, they have taken up sharing roles in various hotels and restaurants.
Speaking to Jagran.com, a senior police officer stated that details regarding the properties of the accused are currently being gathered, and their sources of income are being thoroughly investigated. If these assets are found to be disproportionate to their known income, legal proceedings will be initiated to confiscate and attach them.
(With Inputs From Jagran.com)