NEW DELHI: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple is examining whether gold ornaments stolen from the shrine were melted and converted into gold biscuits to erase their identity.
Officials suspect the accused may have melted the stolen gold and silver jewellery to make tracing the original ornaments difficult. The suspicion has gained ground after multiple search operations failed to recover the missing jewellery allegedly linked to the theft.
As part of the investigation, SIT officials visited the Ram Temple, offered prayers to Ram Lalla and questioned temple in-charge KD Babu about the inventory, storage and maintenance of jewellery and other valuable offerings received from devotees.
The probe team has also sought records related to ornaments and other precious donations, along with details of transactions carried out with the government-owned Printing and Minting Corporation of India (Mint). Officials have sought a complete account of precious metals sent to banks and the Mint and are scrutinising the entire process.
According to sources, the investigation has also revealed that while the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust reviewed cash donations and income during its quarterly meetings, detailed records on the quantity, valuation and stock of gold, silver and other valuable offerings were not a regular part of the agenda.
The trust had, in the first phase, sent 9.44 quintals (944 kg) of silver to the government-run Mint for testing and melting as part of a process to assess the quality and quantity of precious metals received from devotees.
Former trust general secretary Champat Rai had earlier stated publicly that the temple had received nearly 13 quintals of silver and around 20 kg of gold in donations.
The fresh developments came days after sources said the SIT would conduct a re-audit of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s accounts as part of its investigation into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations. The review will reportedly cover a five-year period and examine construction expenditure as well as gold, silver, jewellery and other valuables received as offerings.
The alleged embezzlement surfaced on June 7, following which the Uttar Pradesh government constituted an SIT. Based on the team’s preliminary findings, an FIR was registered on June 25. Eight people associated with the temple’s donation-counting process have been arrested so far.
Earlier this week, Ayodhya Police questioned key accused Avinash Shukla after securing his custody. Shukla, who was involved in donation-counting work, had been arrested earlier in the case. Police sources said the largest cash recovery made so far in the investigation was from his possession.
The SIT has also questioned former trust general secretary Champat Rai, former trustee Anil Mishra and temple official Gopal Rao, all of whom have figured prominently in the investigation. Rai and Mishra have submitted their resignations, and the trust is expected to take a decision on them at its meeting scheduled for July 6.
The case has also triggered a political row, with the Congress demanding a public accounting of temple donations collected before the trust’s formation and seeking a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the alleged embezzlement.
The RSS also reacted to the controversy, saying the alleged theft had deeply hurt the faith of devotees and calling for strict action against those found guilty.
