Ram Temple donation theft case: FIR filed against eight, six detained in Ayodhya probe

The investigation into the alleged theft of donation money at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has taken a serious turn. Police have now filed an FIR against eight people, and six people have already been detained for questioning. The case has drawn a lot of public attention because the Ram Temple receives donations from lakhs of devotees from India and around the world.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust filed the complaint after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted its first report. The Uttar Pradesh government then ordered strict action in the matter.

Officials say this is just the beginning of the investigation, and more arrests may happen in the coming days.

How the case came to light

The issue started when allegations were made that some people linked to the temple were stealing money from the donation collections. These donations are made by devotees who visit the temple every day.

To check the claims, a Special Investigation Team was formed. The team started looking into the matter and collected evidence, including CCTV footage from inside the temple premises.

According to sources, the CCTV footage reportedly showed some people taking money illegally. Based on this early evidence, the SIT recommended that an FIR should be filed.

Soon after this, the trust lodged an official complaint at a police station in Ayodhya.

The FIR names eight people directly, while some other unknown persons have also been mentioned. This means police believe more people may be involved, but their identities are still being checked.

The eight named in the FIR are:

• Ramashankar Yadav Tinnu

• Anukalp Mishra

• Avinash Shukla

• Karunesh Pandey

• Lav Kush Mishra

• Rama Shankar Mishra

• Subhash Srivastava

• One more accused linked to the case

Temple employee Lav Kush Mishra and Anukul Mishra are among those detained for questioning. Along with them, four other people involved in counting donation cash have also been taken into custody.

Police officials say these detentions are important because they may help reveal how the theft was carried out.

Investigation and possible arrests

Police say the case is being investigated very carefully because it involves temple donations, which are considered sacred by devotees.

Sources say the FIR has been registered under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). These include Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), and 3(5). These laws deal with criminal acts like theft, cheating, and conspiracy.

Officials are now checking:

• How much money may have been stolen

• How long the theft may have been going on

• Whether more people were involved

• If there was a larger network behind it

The police are also questioning the detained persons to understand the full chain of events.

Sources say CCTV footage is playing a key role in the investigation. Officers are carefully studying the videos to find out who handled the money and where it may have gone.

Authorities believe the theft may not have been a one-time incident. They suspect it could have happened over a longer period.

This is why the probe is expanding.

Police have said that more arrests are likely once the evidence is fully checked.

At the same time, officials clarified that senior trust members Champat Rai and Anil Mishra have not been named in the FIR.

However, sources say that Tinnu Yadav, who is believed to be close to Champat Rai, could face arrest if stronger evidence comes up.

So far, no official statement has been made on this.

The case became even more important after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reportedly asked officials to take immediate and strict action against those responsible.

His direction came after the SIT report pointed to serious irregularities in the donation handling process.

The Ram Temple is one of the most important religious sites in India. Every day, thousands of devotees visit the temple and donate money as part of their faith.

Because of this, any allegation of stealing temple donations is a matter of huge public concern.

People expect complete honesty and transparency in managing such funds.

Many devotees have now demanded that the temple trust improve its systems for handling and counting donations. Some have suggested stronger security, digital records, and better monitoring of the cash collection process.

Experts say this case highlights the need for strict checks wherever public donations are involved.

Temple authorities are also expected to review their internal systems after this incident.

For now, the investigation is still in its early stages. Police say they are committed to finding out the truth and ensuring that everyone involved is punished according to the law.

As the probe continues, the focus remains on accountability and protecting the trust of millions of devotees who contribute to the temple with faith and devotion.