Ram temple trustees overhaul amid alleged donation theft

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:05:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Ayodhya’s Shri Ram Janmabhoomi trust shakes up leadership after claims that millions of rupees were siphoned from temple donations.

The trust managing the newly inaugurated Ram temple in Ayodhya has appointed an interim general secretary and reinstated an interim CEO after police named eight people in a case of alleged embezzlement. The allegations stem from a former accounts supervisor’s complaint and have sparked investigations by a special inquiry team, with the high court and Supreme Court demanding a federal probe. While an exact amount recovered remains unclear, the trust says it has collected 5.82bn rupees and spent 3.19bn on the shrine, but officials warn that the core issue is restoring devotees’ trust. The upcoming meeting on 22 July will presumably review the SIT report and decide future leadership. The incident has added new layers of controversy to a site that saw political turbulence in 1992 and attracts 50 million devotees yearly.

The trust that manages India’s newly inaugurated Ram temple in Ayodhya has announced a leadership overhaul after accusations that tens of millions of rupees were stolen from donation boxes.

During a press conference Monday, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said it had accepted the resignation of general secretary Champat Rai and installed retired forest officer Krishna Mohan as interim general secretary. An interim CEO post was also created, with a three‑member panel set to recommend nominees.

The allegations first surfaced last month after a former accounts supervisor was dismissed for raising concerns about alleged wrongdoing. In March, the state government set a three‑member Special Investigation Team to probe the claims.

After the SIT produced an interim report, Ayodhya police registered an embezzlement case that names eight individuals. They have been arrested and are currently being interrogated.

Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri said the trust has received 5.82bn rupees ($61m) in donations up to 31 March 2026, and spent 3.19bn rupees ($33.5m) on the shrine’s upkeep. Which part of that money was illicit remains unclarified.

What is clear, according to Giri, is that the theft has damaged the trust’s image and eroded the faith of devotees. He urged strict action against the perpetrators and called for measures that prevent such incidents in the future.

After the meeting, the trust will reconvene on 22 July, expecting the police to forward the final SIT report. The case has already attracted petitions in the state high court and the Supreme Court for a federal police inquiry.

The Ram temple, inaugurated in January 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is one of India’s premier pilgrimage sites, drawing about 50 million visitors yearly. Its construction replaced a 16th‑century mosque that was demolished in 1992, a move that sparked nationwide riots.

The trust’s upheaval and the theft controversy underscore the heightened scrutiny around the temple, a landmark symbol of religious and political significance in India.