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Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh): A local court in Ayodhya on Monday sent all the accused in the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case to 14-day judicial custody. This decision has come after a thorough investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Police, in which reports of financial irregularities and misappropriation of money of offerings and donations in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple had come to light.

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Accused seen meeting family in jail

Meanwhile, the family members of the accused were seen reaching the jail premises to meet them. Ravi Yadav, son of accused Tinku Yadav and Shani Yadav, brother of accused Manish Yadav reached Ayodhya District Jail, where all the accused are kept.

Champat Rai has been interrogated

• Earlier on Friday, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust general secretary Champat Rai and trustee member Anil Mishra had resigned, taking moral responsibility for the alleged embezzlement in Ram temple donations.
• Sources said on Monday that after this the police recorded the statement of Champat Rai as part of the ongoing investigation into alleged misappropriation of temple donations. Sources also revealed that Champat Rai has been interrogated and if needed during the investigation, statements of other senior officials of the Trust, including Anil Mishra, will be recorded later.

Police reached Avinash Shukla's house

On Sunday, the investigation into the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case intensified when a police team reached the house of one of the accused, Avinash Shukla, in Ayodhya.

What did Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust say?

• Earlier, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra (Trust) said in an official press statement, "We are shocked, hurt and deeply saddened by the incidents that have unfolded in the last few days regarding the Shri Ram Temple (Ayodhya). We are committed to ensuring an impartial investigation and reassuring the devotees."
• The trust also announced that it has received the resignations of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra (Trust) general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra.

FIR registered on 25th June

All this happened after an FIR was registered on June 25 in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. According to officials, this case has been registered on the instructions of the Uttar Pradesh government.

FIR registered against these 8 people

Those named in the FIR are: Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinku Yadav, Manish Yadav and others. The matter came to light when former SP MLA from Ayodhya Pawan Pandey alleged that between Rs 7 crore and Rs 7.5 crore had been embezzled from the donations made to the Ram temple.

SIT formed on June 14

• Following these allegations, on June 14, the state government had constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust to probe the alleged scam related to offerings at the Ram temple.
• Responding to the matter, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told ANI, "The police administration should conduct a fair investigation and take strict action; the government will ensure this."
• The case has sparked a political firestorm in Uttar Pradesh, where the ruling BJP and opposition parties are blaming each other over the management of the temple's finances while the SIT investigation continues.

When did the case of theft in Ram temple come to light?

Let us tell you that the case of theft in Ram temple came to light for the first time on June 7. Pawan Pandey, who was a minister in the SP government, first made allegations of theft of offerings in Ram temple. He said – Donation worth Rs 5 to 7 crore has been stolen from the temple. After this Akhilesh Yadav gave a statement on the matter and then the matter came into the media.