- Accused Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava revealed new details.
- Police recovered additional cash and jewellery from Mishra's residence.
- Probe now focuses on Ramshankar and Manish Yadav, key accused.
Jagran Correspondent, Ayodhya: The ongoing investigation into the theft of offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is expected to take a new turn as police uncover fresh leads. On Wednesday, the accused, Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava, were taken on police remand. During interrogation, they reportedly disclosed details that could alter the direction of the probe.
Offering Transporter And Counting Supervisor Grilled On 14-Hour Remand
Police on Wednesday took Ramashankar Mishra and retired bank employee Subhash Srivastava on a 14-hour remand. The remand began at 8:00 AM after police took the accused into custody following a medical examination at the police lines. While police had initially sought a seven-day remand on Tuesday, the court granted only 14 hours.
According to Jagran.com, Mishra was responsible for transporting offerings to the counting room and was caught with Rs 7.32 lakh at the time of his arrest. Srivastava was tasked with supervising the counting staff.
During the interrogation, police took Mishra to his residence in the Meerapur Derabibi neighborhood of Ayodhyadham to question his family and gather necessary evidence. Reports suggest authorities recovered additional cash and jewellery during the search.
To gather fresh evidence, authorities interrogated Mishra and Srivastava separately. Investigators are currently cross-examining their statements with details provided by four previously remanded co-accused: Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, and Karunesh Pandey.
Focus Shifts To Ramshankar And Manish Yadav
Of the eight jailed accused, police custody remand of six has been completed. The focus of the probe has now shifted to the remaining two accused, Ramshankar Yadav, alias Tinnu, and his nephew, Manish Yadav, whom the police will soon take into custody for interrogation.
The remand of these two is more crucial as their involvement is deemed far more significant than that of the other six accused who have already been interrogated.
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Champat Rai Questioned Seven Times By SIT
Champat Rai, the then-secretary general of the trust, was questioned seven times by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) during this period, answering the team's questions in detail. On the other hand, among the trustees, Anil Kumar Mishra faced the investigation team for the longest time and was asked several pointed questions about the calculation rules and the agreement between the banks.