India's landmark Ram temple overhauls board after alleged theft of donations
The trust managing the Ram temple has restructured its leadership after allegations of donation theft, with two officials resigning and a new CEO position created.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the prominent Ram temple in Ayodhya, held a meeting on Monday following allegations of donation theft that surfaced last month. The trust initially denied any wrongdoing, but the state government set up a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT). After an interim SIT report, Ayodhya police registered a case of alleged embezzlement, naming eight individuals who were arrested and questioned.
Following the meeting, trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri announced that former general secretary Champat Rai and another official, Anil Mishra, had resigned after police filed a complaint on June 25. Retired forest officer Krishna Mohan, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was appointed interim general secretary. Giri also announced the creation of a new CEO position, with a three-member panel to recommend candidates.
Giri provided details on donations received: as of March 31, 2026, the trust had received 5.82 billion rupees ($61 million) from devotees and spent 3.19 billion rupees ($33.48 million) on temple upkeep. In his first comments, Mohan said his priority was to identify and close loopholes to prevent recurrence, as the allegations had damaged the trust's image and generated public distrust.
The allegations of theft at one of India's most revered and politically significant temples were made by a former accounts supervisor who claimed he was dismissed after raising concerns internally. His claims sparked a major political row, with opposition parties calling for a court-monitored investigation. The amount stolen is unclear, but a former city legislator alleged over 70 million rupees ($739,550) is missing. Giri did not specify the stolen amount but demanded strict action, emphasizing that the primary concern was the hurt to devotees' sentiments and the institution's credibility. He stated that the theft was committed by individuals trusted by Champat Rai, not by the trustees themselves. The trust's next meeting is scheduled for July 22, by which time police are expected to submit their final report.
