Ayodhya: Fresh raids, recoveries in Ram temple donation theft case
Police also conducted a thorough search at the house of accused Lavkush Mishra by combing through piles of dry fodder.
Sources said Lavkush’s father Bachchu Lal Mishra has been detained for questioning.
According to police sources, cash recoveries from the accused so far include Rs 20.39 lakh from Avinash Shukla, Rs 18.07 lakh from Karunesh Pandey, Rs 16.82 lakh from Anukalp Mishra, Rs 14.25 lakh from Lavkush Mishra, Rs 7.32 lakh from Ramashankar Mishra and Rs 1 lakh from Ramashankar Yadav. rupees are included. Her nickname is Tinnu.
Sources also stated that the police seized approximately 11 grams of gold, approximately 375 grams of silver and 1,121 US dollars during the investigation.
In another development, police seized a donation box labeled “Ramrajya Kosh” bearing Paytm QR code from a yoga center in Ayodhya, where accused Avinash Shukla had been residing for the last 10 years.
Sundar Lal, a yoga instructor at the centre, told PTI that police first raided the facility on June 5, examined CCTV footage and searched the room where Shukla was staying. “The police came with Avinash and asked us to vacate the building where he lived. After they left, we came to know that Rs 5 lakh was seized from his possession,” he said.
The investigation also expanded to cover the duties of around 400 private security personnel deployed in the temple complex. Police are reviewing duty rosters, CCTV footage, entry and exit records and other activities to determine whether security protocols were breached or whether anyone facilitated the alleged embezzlement.
Sources stated that legal action will be taken against security personnel who are found to ignore the rules or assist in theft.
The controversy broke out on June 7 after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged misappropriation of donations from the Ram temple.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings on June 23, following which an FIR was registered on June 25 and eight people were arrested in connection with the temple’s donation counting process.
The investigation gained further momentum on Tuesday when the police questioned the accused Avinash Shukla in the district jail after taking permission from the court.
Investigators also recorded the statement of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Foundation General Secretary Champat Rai, who had recently offered to resign, taking “moral responsibility” for the controversy.
