Overview
- The SIT's preliminary report says CCTV footage from April 27 to June 5 captured about 70 instances of staff hiding cash in clothes, shoes and personal items during donation counting.
- Police have registered cases and arrested eight people linked to counting and handling donations, with investigators recovering roughly Rs 78.9 lakh from accused employees and finding bank deposits that exceed their declared incomes.
- Investigators flagged specific procedural failures including no frisking at entry or exit, no biometric attendance, mixing cash from multiple hundis during counts, personal items in the counting room, CCTV blind spots and unauthorised custody of donation-box keys.
- The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust accepted general secretary Champat Rai's resignation, named Krishna Mohan interim general secretary and formed a three-member panel to select a CEO as part of an administrative overhaul.
- The SIT is continuing forensic and financial probes, including developing leads that some donated jewellery may have been altered, and the team’s final report will be discussed by the trust at its July 22 meeting.