'Issue Concerns People's Faith': Samajwadi Party to Raise Ram Temple Donation Embezzlement Issue in Parliament Today

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) is set to raise the issue of alleged embezzlement of offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on Tuesday during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav emphasised that the issue concerns the faith of crores of people across the world, further demanding accountability from the State and the central government on the whereabouts of the missing funds.

He also underlined that the instances of theft have been occurring since 1990 when Lal Krishna Advani launched a Rath Yatra in support of the construction of the Ram Temple, while the current figures only cover a span of 45 to 50 days. "The theft of Ram Mandir donations is a major matter. This issue concerns the faith of crores of people across the country and the world who revere Lord Ram and the Hindu religion. People have been deeply distressed; the government, specifically the Uttar Pradesh government, sought votes in the name of Lord Ram yet showed no regard for the offerings and donations," Yadav said.

"There is no accounting for where the funds went; what has been reported does not reflect the total amount received. This current figure covers only a span of 45 to 50 days, whereas such theft has been occurring since 1990. When Advani ji launched the Rath Yatra, people contributed jewellery and money on a massive scale; this has been going on ever since. We will raise this issue," he said.

The development comes as the SP, along with other opposition parties, levelled serious allegations of donation theft at the Ram Temple, leading to a full-fledged investigation in the case. So far, eight accused have been arrested. Investigators are now tracing the complete money trail to identify additional assets and beneficiaries. Police say further recoveries and significant disclosures are expected in the coming days as the investigation continues.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that, in compliance with its earlier directions, it has constituted a fresh Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kiran S to investigate the alleged embezzlement of donations made at Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The SIT also comprises a Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Superintendent of Police (SP) and Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta informed the Court. The case relates to the alleged embezzlement of offerings (chadhava) at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. 

The previous SIT conducted an extensive probe, examining CCTV footage, donation registers, cash-handling procedures and financial records. It questioned several temple employees and submitted a preliminary report pointing to alleged irregularities in the counting and deposit of temple offerings.

Based on the probe, police arrested key accused and recovered cash, vehicles, investment-related documents and other assets allegedly purchased using the misappropriated funds. Searches were conducted at multiple locations, while digital evidence and financial transactions were also scrutinised.

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