New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad has demanded a police case and a full investigation into allegations of misappropriation of donations made at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The demand came after a Special Investigation Team submitted a preliminary report to the Uttar Pradesh government, according to reports. VHP International president Alok Kumar said the findings, as described in the media, appeared to provide enough grounds to register an FIR and begin a formal probe.
Kumar said the report indicated that CCTV footage had allegedly captured people involved in the misappropriation and that their identities were known. He said there was no need for further fact-finding before filing a case and called for a swift investigation, a chargesheet and a fast-track trial. He also said those found guilty should face the maximum punishment.
The VHP argued that an internal inquiry would not be enough and that the matter should be handled through legal प्रक्रिया to establish the truth. The group’s stand came a day after the SIT submitted its preliminary findings, though the contents of the report have not been made public.
According to people familiar with the report, it points to alleged lapses, weak supervision and negligence in the handling, counting and storage of cash and valuables offered by devotees. The state government has said the team will continue its work and submit a final report in 15 days.
The SIT was formed on June 14 after a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the temple. Opposition leaders and a whistleblower have alleged that offerings of cash and jewellery were embezzled by temple staff while under the trust’s supervision.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of the Ram temple’s long political and legal history. The Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 by Hindutva extremists, and in 2019 the Supreme Court ruled the demolition illegal while handing over the disputed land for construction of the Ram temple and directing that land in Ayodhya be allotted for a mosque. The Ram temple was inaugurated in January 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.