Ram Mandir Donation Theft Accused Reveals Washroom Cash Trail

The investigation into the Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation theft case has taken a serious turn after one of the arrested accused allegedly told police that stolen cash was temporarily hidden inside washrooms before being moved out of the temple complex. According to police sources, Avinash Shukla was questioned for nearly two hours on Tuesday after investigators received court permission. During the interrogation, he reportedly admitted to stealing large amounts of money and explained how the accused allegedly used loopholes in the donation counting system to avoid immediate detection.

Counting Room Access And CCTV Gaps Under Probe

As per sources, Shukla told investigators that access to the donation counting room played a key role in the alleged theft. He claimed that Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav had access to one of the keys, while another key remained with bank employees. The accused allegedly worked in coordination, with one person taking the money while others created cover around him. Investigators are also looking into claims that the accused were aware of CCTV camera locations inside the complex and used that knowledge to avoid being clearly captured. The money was allegedly hidden in bathrooms and later removed whenever the accused found an opportunity.

Trust Links And Money Trail Face Scrutiny

During questioning, the name of temple trustee Anil Mishra reportedly surfaced again, with the accused claiming that he had an important role in the donation counting process. The case has already triggered major scrutiny over donation handling and internal supervision at the temple. Mishra and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai resigned last week amid growing questions over the issue. Police sources also claimed that the stolen money was used to buy land and a house, and investigators are now examining financial transactions and assets linked to the accused.

SIT Probe Widens After Cash Recovery

The Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigation Team on June 13 to investigate the alleged theft. However, it has emerged that the Trust had recovered Rs 58 lakh from Avinash Shukla’s house on June 5, before the FIR was formally registered. Sources said more money was later returned through bank transfers between June 5 and June 8. This has raised further questions about when the theft was first detected, how long it continued and whether attempts were made to recover the money before the case entered the legal process. Police are now probing whether more people were involved and how such a large alleged theft could take place within a high-profile temple donation system without timely detection.