Overview
- A government‑appointed Special Investigation Team led to an FIR on June 25 after preliminary findings suggested misappropriation of donations to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi trust.
- Investigators have arrested eight people tied to the temple’s cash‑counting operations and moved additional accused into 14‑hour custodial remand for extended questioning on Wednesday.
- Police carried out searches at homes and linked premises and seized documents, CCTV DVRs and papers now under forensic review as they trace where donations may have been routed.
- Authorities say recoveries include two SUVs, cash, gold and investment records and that investigators are examining frozen bank accounts and transfers to see if diverted offerings were turned into assets or investments.
- The SIT’s preliminary report named nine procedural failures — such as lack of pocketless uniforms, mixing cash from multiple hundis, weak frisking and poor denomination records — and the case has prompted resignations, political attacks and legal petitions seeking independent oversight.