Ayodhya police registered a case of alleged embezzlement and took eight individuals into custody on June 25, 2026, following accusations of missing donations from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The state government established a three-member Special Investigation Team to investigate the allegations. Petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court requesting a federal police investigation, monitored by the court, into the handling of donations.

Mahipal Singh, a former supervisor of the trust's accounts team, alleged irregularities in how donations were handled. Singh stated he was replaced after raising internal concerns regarding cash offerings and precious metals. "I have received death threats," Singh said. "I am under immense pressure and stress. I am not in a position to say anything."

A former city legislator claimed that more than 70 million rupees from temple donations have gone missing. On June 7, former state Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav spoke about the alleged siphoning of donations. Ayodhya MP Awadhesh Prasad called for the matter to be investigated by a court-monitored team and for trust members to be suspended during any inquiry. Local BJP leader Rajneesh Singh also sought an investigation into issues linked to donations and those responsible for their management. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged individuals with evidence to submit it to investigators. Additionally, a top court lawyer wrote to the Prime Minister, the state Chief Minister, and the Chief Justice, seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Gaurav Grover, a senior police officer, stated that the named individuals are being questioned. "They are expected to be produced before a magistrate within a day or two," Grover said. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust denied any wrongdoing concerning the handling of donations. Champat Rai, General Secretary of the trust, said, "No-one has noticed any discrepancy yet."

The Ram temple, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated in January 2024, spans 2.7 acres and includes six smaller shrines. The temple attracts between 70,000 and 80,000 devotees daily, with crowds tripling on weekends and during festivals. An estimated 50 million visitors annually visit the temple. The trust recorded an annual income of 3.27 billion rupees in the financial year 2024-25. There are approximately 35 donation boxes at the temple site.

Why It Matters

The allegations of embezzlement involve a prominent religious site that generates substantial donations. The involvement of police, a Special Investigation Team, and Supreme Court petitions indicates a formal response to the claims. The Ram temple was constructed on land awarded by the Supreme Court in 2019. The site previously held a 16th-Century mosque demolished in 1992, an event followed by riots that resulted in approximately 2,000 deaths.