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Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust Replaces General Secretary After Theft Allegations
The trust that manages the Ram temple in Ayodhya accepted the resignation of its general secretary and appointed an interim replacement after allegations that donations had been stolen. A state investigation team examined the claims and police registered an embezzlement case naming eight people.
Jul 7, 2:23 AM·1m read1 source
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Authorities at the Ram temple in Ayodhya announced a leadership change after allegations that tens of millions of rupees in donations had been stolen. The trust that manages the shrine accepted the resignation of general secretary Champat Rai and named retired forest officer Krishna Mohan as interim general secretary.
Treasurer Govind Dev Giri said another official, Anil Mishra, had also resigned.
Investigation and arrests A three-member state Special Investigation Team examined the allegations after they surfaced last month. Following an interim report, police registered an embezzlement case naming eight people who were later arrested. Giri said the trust had received 5.82 billion rupees in donations through March 2026 and spent 3.19 billion rupees on shrine upkeep.
New oversight measures Mohan stated his priority was to identify and close any loopholes to prevent future incidents. The trust also created a new chief executive position and formed a three-member panel to recommend candidates. Giri said the next trust meeting is scheduled for 22 July, when police are expected to submit a final report.
