Ram Mandir Donation Row: SIT Report To CM Yogi Today, Court Declines Urgent Hearing

A Special Investigation Team probing alleged embezzlement of donation money at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is expected to hand its preliminary report to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today, marking the sixth day since the probe began. The three-member SIT has already returned to Lucknow, and officials say everyone questioned so far has been told not to leave Ayodhya, in case follow-up questioning is needed.

How The Row Started

The controversy traces back to earlier this month, when Samajwadi Party leader and former Ayodhya MLA Pawan Pandey alleged that donations worth Rs 7 crore to Rs 7.5 crore made to the temple had gone missing. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav picked up the issue soon after, demanding an independent inquiry and questioning why the government had stayed quiet. He also asked for CCTV footage from the donation-counting area to be made public.

The state government responded by setting up the SIT, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath giving the team seven days to submit an initial report. He has said the probe will surface the full truth and that no one found guilty will be let off, regardless of who they are.

What The Probe Has Found So Far

According to early findings, the SIT has flagged serious lapses across multiple areas of the temple's money-handling process. These include weak checks during cash counting, gaps in verifying the identity of staff handling donations, and inadequate CCTV monitoring of the counting room.

Acting on these findings, the temple trust has already suspended 40 employees. Among the SIT's other recommendations: a weekly audit of donation counts, daily logging of cash received at the temple, video recording whenever cash is removed from donation boxes, and extending CCTV data storage from the current 45 days to 180 days. The team has also suggested restructuring the Ram Mandir Trust itself, including appointing a professional administrative officer as CEO and ensuring all trust members carry equal responsibility, in line with earlier directions from the Supreme Court on how the trust should be run.

Several changes have already been put in place on the ground. The staff responsible for counting donations has been replaced, along with the bank team that assists in the count. Volunteers on counting duty have been rotated, and new personnel have been assigned to oversee monitoring. A dress code has been introduced for anyone entering the counting room,  clothes without pockets only,  and staff are now screened on their way out. Continuous CCTV monitoring has also been stepped up, with dedicated staff watching the counting room feed at all times.

Politics Heats Up

The donation row has triggered a sharp exchange between the ruling BJP and the opposition. Congress MP Imran Masood called the alleged theft a serious matter and a setback for devotees, while also questioning how the government has handled the issue.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak hit back at the criticism, saying people should wait for the SIT's report before drawing conclusions, while assuring that strict action would follow against anyone found guilty. Responding to the opposition's questions about the SIT itself, he turned the criticism back on Akhilesh Yadav, asking why he had stayed silent on donations collected in the past in the name of the Babri Masjid, and on alleged irregularities at illegal madrasas, accusing him of practising "appeasement politics."

Speaking separately at a public event, CM Yogi Adityanath struck an emotional note, telling people, "We waited 500 years; now wait another 15 days." He urged the public not to be misled by those trying to damage Ayodhya's reputation, and said the state had ordered the SIT probe at the Ram Mandir Trust's own request. He added that anyone holding documentary evidence related to the case should hand it over to the investigation team.

Court Declines Urgent Hearing

Separately, a public interest litigation seeking a probe into the alleged donation irregularities reached the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. The petition asks for the matter to be investigated by the CBI or another independent agency, and for the donations to be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

However, the bench of Justice Pankaj Bhatia and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai declined to take up the petition out of turn, after petitioner Mohit Ashok asked for an urgent hearing. The judges noted orally that there was no such urgency in the matter that it needed to jump ahead of other pending cases, given the large backlog already before the court. The case had earlier been listed for June 19 but could not be heard that day due to lack of time.

The SIT has also barred officials of the Ram Mandir Trust, including general secretary Champat Rai, from leaving Ayodhya, since they may be called in again for further questioning.

Devotees Unfazed, Donations Continue

Despite the controversy, there's been no visible drop in either donations or footfall at the temple. Sources say Ayodhya has continued to receive an average of Rs 15-20 lakh in daily donations through June. Most devotees appear to be placing cash directly into donation boxes inside the temple rather than using counters, and many have expressed confidence that the investigation will get to the bottom of the matter.

Read More: Ram Mandir Donation Row Deepens: SIT Questions Top Trust Officials, Examines Financial Records in Ayodhya