New Delhi: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered what it describes as widespread theft inside the donation counting room of the Ayodhya Ram Temple, exposing repeated security lapses and alleged complicity by officials. After examining CCTV footage recorded between April 27 and June 5, 2026, investigators identified around 70 instances in which employees allegedly concealed cash inside their clothes and shoes while handling devotees' offerings.
The SIT concluded that the incidents were not isolated but formed part of a sustained pattern of theft. According to the report, security protocols jointly framed by the temple trust and the State Bank of India were systematically ignored. Employees were not subjected to mandatory frisking, the requirement to wear pocketless clothing was not enforced, and staff were allowed to carry personal belongings into the donation counting room.
The probe also found unusually large deposits in the bank accounts of employees earning less than Rs 20,000 a month, further indicating the scale of the alleged embezzlement. Six persons—Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey and Ramashankar Mishra—have been arrested in connection with the case.
The report further blamed senior officials for failing to rectify known security weaknesses, holding former trust functionaries Anil Mishra and Subhash Srivastava responsible for lapses that allegedly enabled the thefts. The controversy had earlier led to the resignations of Champat Rai and others.
However, the SIT dismissed social media claims that silver bars had gone missing from the temple, confirming that silver offerings and other valuables were properly accounted for and securely stored. The Uttar Pradesh government has directed the SIT to submit its final report by July 15.