The alleged Ram Temple donation theft case has taken a major turn with the Uttar Pradesh Police arresting all eight accused shortly after registering the first FIR based on the preliminary findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The arrests mark the first major enforcement action in a case involving the alleged misappropriation of donations offered by lakhs of devotees at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
According to police sources, the accused are currently being questioned while legal formalities, including arrest memos, are being completed. The FIR was filed following a complaint submitted by Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member Krishna Mohan after the SIT recommended criminal proceedings based on its preliminary investigation. Authorities have also indicated that the investigation is likely to expand as unidentified individuals have also been mentioned in the FIR.
Who Are the Accused and What Charges Have Been Filed?
The FIR names Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu as the primary accused. In addition to these individuals, several unidentified persons have also been included in the case, suggesting that investigators suspect a wider network behind the alleged financial irregularities.
The accused have been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions related to theft, criminal breach of trust, receiving or concealing stolen property, criminal conspiracy and acts committed with common intention. They have also been charged under Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations involving public trust and financial accountability.
How the SIT Investigation Began
The Uttar Pradesh government constituted the Special Investigation Team on June 13 after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust sought an independent probe into allegations of missing donations and financial irregularities. The issue gained widespread public and political attention after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav raised concerns over reports claiming that donations worth crores of rupees had allegedly gone missing from the temple's collection system.
The controversy soon triggered political exchanges, with Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Alok Kumar accusing opposition parties of attempting to exploit the issue for political gains ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Following the FIR, Akhilesh Yadav questioned the timing and fairness of the investigation, alleging that the SIT process may have been used to destroy evidence before criminal proceedings were initiated. He further claimed that while smaller accused may face action, influential individuals could escape accountability.
Who Is Trustee Krishna Mohan?
Krishna Mohan, who filed the complaint leading to the FIR, became a trustee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on September 16, 2025, after the death of trustee Kameshwar Chaupal. Originally from Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, Krishna Mohan holds a postgraduate degree in science from Lucknow University and previously worked in the atomic energy sector before joining the Indian Forest Service in the Maharashtra cadre. After retiring in 2012, he became actively involved in social service and was unanimously selected by trust members to fill the vacant trustee position.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials are expected to examine financial records, donation handling systems and the possible involvement of additional individuals. The case is likely to remain under close public and political scrutiny as authorities continue their probe into one of the most high-profile alleged financial irregularities involving the Ram Temple Trust.
