‘Ayodhya in hands of thieves’: ex-Kar Sevak in complaint
text_fields
Ayodhya: Serious allegations of financial irregularities and questionable land transactions involving the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust have triggered fresh political and public controversy in Ayodhya, with complaints accusing key trust functionaries of misappropriating donations worth hundreds of crores of rupees and purchasing land at massively inflated prices.
The latest complaint was filed by Santosh Dubey, a former kar sevak who actively participated in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and was named alongside senior BJP leader L.K. Advani in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Dubey has alleged that funds donated by devotees are being siphoned off by individuals associated with the trust, betraying the sacrifices made by those who campaigned for the construction of the Ram temple.
According to the complaint, trust secretary Champat Rai, along with Anil Mishra, Gopal Rao and driver Tinnu Yadav, was involved in the alleged misappropriation of donations, including gold and silver offerings made by devotees. The complaint estimates the scale of the alleged fraud at more than Rs 200 crore and seeks a detailed investigation, including polygraph tests for those named.
The allegations have been reinforced by complaints submitted to Ayodhya police by Youth Congress leader Sharad Shukla and Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh. Questions have also been raised over the absence of publicly available audit reports for the temple's finances during the past two years, despite the shrine receiving substantial daily donations in cash and valuables.
Further suspicion has emerged following claims by a former accountant that receipts were not issued for valuable offerings, including a three-kilogram gold necklace and silver padukas donated by a Mumbai-based businessman. The former employee also alleged that eight months of CCTV footage were deliberately destroyed by staff members.
Land purchases carried out under the trust's administration have come under equal scrutiny. Revenue records reportedly show that land in Kot Ramchandra village, valued by government assessments at around Rs 3 crore, was purchased by the trust for Rs 23.61 crore. The records further indicate that the property was categorised as government-owned Nazul land, raising questions over the legality of the transaction. In another case, land in Matsya Shanevaspur village with an assessed value of Rs 1.73 crore was allegedly acquired for Rs 29.67 crore.
Despite multiple complaints and mounting allegations, no FIR has so far been registered by either the Uttar Pradesh Police or central investigative agencies. However, a Special Investigation Team constituted by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is probing the matter. The investigation has reportedly identified around 150 suspects, with action against nearly 25 individuals expected in the coming days.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has not issued a detailed response to the allegations. A trust member has only stated that anyone found guilty of wrongdoing would ultimately face consequences.