The Uttar Pradesh administration is taking strict action in the Ram temple donation embezzlement case. The probe into the Ram Mandir donation theft case has intensified on two fronts: the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) has initiated action against properties linked to the accused, while the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has expanded its scope to include a comprehensive five-year audit of temple trust funds. The actions are being taken after fresh revelations were made by the accused during police investigation.
ADA Notice to unauthorized construction
The Ayodhya Development Authority has issued a formal notice regarding an under-construction property registered to Supriya Mishra, the wife of accused Luv Kush Mishra.
* Located in Banipur village near the Ayodhya-Lucknow highway, the land was purchased in 2025 for approximately Rs 8.8 lakh.
* An unauthorized two-story house, estimated to cost Rs 25 lakh, was being constructed on the site without proper approvals.
* ADA officials confirmed during an inspection that the construction violated prescribed building norms.
* The authority has demanded a response within one week regarding the approval status of the building map, warning that failure to comply could result in demolition proceedings.
SIT Probe: Five-Year Audit
Following evidence of widespread financial irregularities, the government has extended the SIT’s investigation by two weeks, with a final report now due on July 15.
* The SIT is moving beyond the criminal aspects of the theft to conduct a deep-dive audit of all temple trust financial transactions over the past five years.
* This audit seeks to uncover potential embezzlement, including allegations of commissions in temple construction work, which may implicate senior trust officials such as Champat Rai, Dr. Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao.
* A major challenge for the trust involves providing details on donated jewelry, as investigators allege no formal audits were conducted by the trust.
* During recent interrogations, Dr. Anil Mishra reportedly shifted blame toward staffer Tinnu Yadav, claiming counting staff acted under his direction, though Mishra admitted to lapses in oversight.
* Simultaneous raids were conducted at the ancestral homes of Luv Kush Mishra and Karunesh Pandey in Rudauli and Khandasa, resulting in the seizure of cash, jewelry, and property documents.
* Police have recorded statements from family members and parents of the accused to trace the flow of stolen funds.
Latest revelations in the temple theft episode show the amount of cash recovered from seven out of eight accused. Though crores of money and valuables are reported to have been siphoned off from the temple by the greedy staff, a theft of Rs 79.85 lakh has been documented on record. The revelations apparently come from the submission of documents before the court by the investigating team.
