Tinnu Yadav Misused Access To Ram Mandir Donation Counting Room? Co-Accused Avinash Shukla's Shocking Admission In Police Custody

New Delhi: The investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations from the Ram Mandir has taken a fresh turn after co-accused Avinash Shukla, during police interrogation, allegedly revealed how the group exploited access to the temple's high-security counting room and CCTV blind spots to siphon off devotees' offerings over an extended period.

According to police sources, Shukla told investigators that Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav had access to one of the two keys to the donation counting room, while the second key remained with bank officials.

Investigators are now examining whether Tinnu's alleged access to the counting room played a crucial role in facilitating the theft and whether security protocols were deliberately bypassed. Police have obtained court permission to question Tinnu in jail as part of the ongoing probe.

Shukla allegedly admitted that the accused operated in a coordinated manner during cash counting. While one person removed bundles of cash, others formed a shield around him to block the view of anyone nearby.

The stolen money was then allegedly hidden inside washrooms within the temple complex before being smuggled out in small quantities to avoid attracting suspicion. The accused were also aware of CCTV blind spots and used them to evade detection, according to police sources.

Investigators believe the accused exploited the trust placed in them during the donation-counting process. Shukla is also said to have claimed that because of their close association with people linked to the temple administration, their movements rarely came under suspicion.

He further alleged that surveillance cameras inside the complex were monitored from a control room, but staff were not actively tracking the accused's activities in real time.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is now tracing the money trail to determine how the stolen funds were allegedly used. During questioning, Shukla reportedly told police that part of the money was invested in purchasing land and a house.

Investigators are examining financial records, bank transactions and property documents to establish whether the proceeds were converted into movable or immovable assets.

The probe has already led to recoveries exceeding Rs 77 lakh from the accused, with Avinash Shukla accounting for the highest recovery of over Rs 20 lakh. Police have also recovered cash, gold, silver, foreign currency and a donation box linked to a QR code during searches conducted as part of the investigation.

The alleged donation theft came to light after an FIR was registered on the complaint of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Eight people have been arrested so far, including employees associated with the donation counting process.

The SIT has been given additional time to complete its investigation as officials continue to examine whether more individuals were involved and how the alleged embezzlement continued without detection for a prolonged period.

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