SIT Estimates Rs 6-8 Lakh Siphoned Daily From Ram Temple Funds

Investigators probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple suspect that between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 8 lakh may have been siphoned off every day before the theft came to light. The estimate is based on information provided by bank officials to the Special Investigation Team examining alleged irregularities in the handling and counting of cash offerings.

According to sources, bank staff told investigators that daily donations deposited into the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s accounts averaged between Rs 16 lakh and Rs 18 lakh before the alleged theft was discovered. After the case surfaced, daily deposits reportedly increased to between Rs 24 lakh and Rs 26 lakh. Investigators are examining whether the difference reflects money that had previously been diverted during the counting process.

Cash donations are collected through four donation boxes and counted by a 14-member team comprising 11 bank personnel and three representatives of the temple trust. The counting process is overseen by the State Bank of India, which had engaged a private agency for certain tasks. Investigators are now examining the role of some bank employees and whether prescribed procedures for handling the donations were properly followed.

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Retired bank employee Subhash Srivastava, who was in charge of the counting process, is among eight people arrested so far. His responsibilities allegedly included removing cash from donation boxes, sending it to the counting room and handing the money over to the bank. Investigators are also examining the handling of jewellery donations after finding that there was allegedly no systematic record of such offerings.

The alleged theft first came to light in February after a member of the counting team raised concerns about money being stolen during the process. The SIT has since questioned bank officials and staff involved in counting donations, asking why agreed procedures were allegedly changed and why suspected irregularities were not reported to senior officials. Investigators are also examining why personnel from a private security agency were assigned sensitive cash-counting duties.

Police are expected to seek a deeper investigation into the money trail and financial transactions linked to the case. One of the accused, Avinash Shukla, has allegedly told investigators that the stolen money was divided among the accomplices at a park near the temple. Police took the accused to a park near Bhikapur on the 14 Koshi Parikrama route as the investigation continued into the alleged diversion of temple donations.

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