Overview
- The Uttar Pradesh government formed a three‑member Special Investigation Team on June 13 to investigate claims that cash and valuable offerings to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust were misappropriated.
- Investigators have questioned senior trust officials and counting staff and identified roughly 25 suspects, with a close aide known as Ramshankar 'Tinnu' Yadav under heavy scrutiny and possible arrest likely.
- The SIT reports some recoveries, including about ₹2 crore in cash and gold seized from a staff member’s residence, but significant donated silver remains untraced with media and donors citing figures between about 39.26 kg and 60 kg.
- Probe teams are auditing the temple’s multi‑step donation process — 35 steel hundis, dual‑key unsealing, a two‑shift counting room with bank representatives and auditors — and face hurdles from CCTV systems that store footage for only 45 days and show signs of possible tampering.
- The inquiry has triggered political dispute and renewed calls for independent audits and statutory oversight of large religious trusts while the SIT prepares a preliminary report for the chief minister that could lead to firings, removals, or criminal charges.