Eight Arrested in Ram Temple Donation Embezzlement Case in Ayodhya

The police on Friday took eight accused in custody who were named in Ram temple donation row FIR, police sources told PTI.

An FIR was lodged in Ayodhya on Thursday over allegations of embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, officials told the news agency, with the Uttar Pradesh government reiterating Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's remarks of an impartial probe and that the guilty will not be spared.

The report, lodged at the instance of Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, follows recommendations made in the preliminary report of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the allegations.

The government said Lucknow Division Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, the lead member of a SIT probing this case, had submitted a preliminary report to it on Tuesday, along with two other team members, containing "strong recommendations".

Later on Thursday, the government said that an FIR was registered following the report submission.

"Following the discovery of thefts from offerings made at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust requested a special investigation. On the instructions of CM Adityanath, a SIT was formed to investigate the matter. The chief minister had stated that the SIT's impartial investigation would bring the truth to light and that the guilty would not be spared," the UP government said in its statement.

Senior officials told PTI all eight persons named in the FIR have been arrested and are being questioned as part of the investigation. The people named in the FIR were associated with the process of counting cash and valuables received as donations at the temple.

"All the accused were in Ayodhya itself and were arrested late Thursday night. Further questioning is underway. Police are preparing to present them before a magistrate," a senior official told PTI.

The Ram temple donation case has been registered under sections 306 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master), 316 (criminal breach of trust), 317 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, among other provisions.