Accused reveals meticulous plan for Ram Temple donation theft

LUCKNOW: Fresh disclosures by arrested accused Avinash Shukla have revealed how those involved in the alleged Ram Temple donation theft studied CCTV camera locations, entry-exit routes and staff movement patterns to siphon off cash during counting, Ayodhya police said Wednesday. Investigators said stolen cash was first hidden in washrooms within the temple complex and later smuggled out in small amounts to avoid detection — a modus operandi Shukla disclosed during nearly two hours of custodial interrogation inside the district jail.

How the blind spots were exploited According to police, while one accused allegedly removed cash from counted donations, others positioned themselves around him to obstruct the cameras' field of view, effectively creating a human shield to conceal the theft from surveillance. CCTV footage has reportedly captured bundles of currency being handed directly to specific individuals instead of being placed in designated collection trays or sealed containers — allowing cash to be diverted before the official sealing and banking process. Adding to the vulnerability: Surveillance footage was automatically overwritten after 45 days, limiting investigators' ability to examine older recordings that might have revealed a longer pattern of theft.

Tinnu held key to counting room Shukla also told investigators that one of the two keys to the highly secured donation-counting room remained with co-accused Ramshankar Yadav, alias Tinnu — even though Tinnu had no formal role in counting cash. The second key was held by bank officials supervising the process. Police are now preparing to question Tinnu, currently in judicial custody, to determine whether his access to the key facilitated unauthorised entry into the counting room.

Rs 79.85 lakh, gold, silver, dollars recovered Recoveries from the arrested accused have so far totalled Rs 79.85 lakh in cash, besides $1,121, roughly 11 grams of gold and 375 grams of silver. The largest haul was from Shukla himself — Rs 20.39 lakh, $1,121, two gold chains, a gold ring and a silver-coloured object. Other recoveries: Karunesh Pandey (Rs 18.07 lakh), Anukalp Mishra (Rs 16.82 lakh), Lav Kush Mishra (Rs 14.25 lakh), Ramashankar Mishra (Rs 7.32 lakh), Manish Yadav (Rs 2 lakh) and Tinnu (Rs 1 lakh). No recovery was made from Subhash Srivastava's residence. Investigators also seized a donation box labelled "Ramrajya Kosh" with a Paytm QR code from a yoga centre where Shukla had stayed for nearly a decade.

Where the system failed A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe has flagged multiple lapses at the counting stage:

Counting staff were required to wear pocket-less clothing — a rule that went unenforced

Entry-exit frisking by private security failed to verify what workers carried in or out

Outsourced staff had poorly defined individual responsibilities, diluting accountability

Heavy reliance on manual handling — from box collection to sorting, packing and sealing — created multiple points where cash could be diverted before reaching the bank

The SIT, formed June 13 after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust sought a probe, has had its deadline extended to July 15. Eight people have been arrested so far in the case, which came to light on June 7 after former SP MLA Pawan Pandey alleged around Rs 7-7.5 crore had been siphoned from temple donations.