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Eight named in FIR arrested in alleged Ayodhya Ram Temple donation embezzlement case
Public Lokpal
June 26, 2026
Eight named in FIR arrested in alleged Ayodhya Ram Temple donation embezzlement case
Eight persons named in an FIR over the alleged embezzlement of donations and valuables received at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya have been arrested, police officials said on Friday, according to news agency PTI.
The arrests came two days after a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted its preliminary report to the Uttar Pradesh government into allegations of irregularities in the handling of temple donations.
The FIR was registered at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station on Thursday evening on the complaint of Krishna Mohan, associated with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
The accused have been identified as Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Manish Yadav, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Chandra Srivastava and Karunesh Pandey. They have been booked under charges including theft, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Police sources said the accused were involved in the process of counting cash and valuables donated by devotees at the temple. Officials alleged that the accused had misappropriated donations collected through boxes installed on the temple premises.
“Further questioning is underway. Police are preparing to present them before a magistrate,” a senior official said to PTI.
The FIR names do not include Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, Trust member Dr Anil Mishra or temple construction in-charge Gopal Rao, though they were questioned by the SIT during the preliminary inquiry.
The investigation began after allegations of financial irregularities surfaced on June 13, following which the Trust requested a government-led probe. The three-member SIT was headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, with Lucknow Range IG Kiran S and Finance Department Special Secretary Neelratan Kumar as members.
The SIT examined records related to donation collection, cash counting, storage and supervision, besides questioning temple employees and officials linked to the process.
Sources said the investigation will now move into the criminal prosecution stage, with police examining financial records, questioning the accused and tracing the alleged diversion of funds.
Officials indicated that more arrests could follow and additional charges may be added if further evidence emerges.
PTI
