Fresh revelations have surfaced in the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir, with the Ayodhya Police uncovering transactions worth Rs 15 Lakh linked to one of the accused arrested in the matter, Avinash Shukla.
According to investigators, Avinash allegedly transferred money to multiple individuals and also distributed cash to several people. In one instance, he is said to have gifted around ₹2 lakh in cash along with an expensive mobile phone to a female friend.
The probe has also revealed that Avinash’s brother, Abhishek, had reportedly noticed him carrying large amounts of cash to a yoga centre after duty hours on multiple occasions. When questioned, Avinash allegedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.
Abhishek later approached co-accused Anukalp regarding the matter. Anukalp is said to have claimed that devotees often gave money out of happiness at the temple and that visitors also paid for assistance in facilitating darshan.
The Ayodhya Police are now focusing on tracing the source of these funds.
The Ayodhya Police have been granted permission to interrogate five accused inside the jail.
Avinash Shukla, along with Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastav and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody. Their statements will be formally recorded during the interrogation.
The Ayodhya Police is likely to summon members of the Ram Mandir Trust in the third week of July. Police sources said the focus remains on identifying the mastermind behind the alleged embezzlement.
Before summoning the trustees, investigators are expected to complete the recovery of the proceeds of crime and establish the money trail. Notably, Champat Rai and Krishna Mohan have already recorded their statements.
As earlier reported by Times Now, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra (Trust) has begun recovering allegedly embezzled donations days before any FIR was filed. According to sources, Trust General Secretary Champat Rai first received information about the suspected donation theft on June 3- 4.
Following an internal verification, Trust officials, along with police, reached the residence of the accused on June 5, where nearly rupees 58 lakhs was recovered. Sources say the remaining amount was returned by the accused through their bank accounts over the following days.
The case surfaced publicly only later in June, after allegations of misappropriation gathered momentum.