India
oi-Swastika Sruti
The case of misappropriation of funds donated for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple at Ayodhya has gained momentum as BJP leader Vinay Katiyar, who was the founder of Bajrang Dal, has made some strong statements regarding the investigation being conducted.
An investigation into misappropriated donations for the Ayodhya Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple is ongoing, with BJP leader Vinay Katiyar suggesting officials like Champat Rai could face jail time; the SIT received a 15-day extension, and police questioned accused Avinash Shukla.
While addressing the media, Katiyar made it clear that former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, the administrator Gopal Rao, and former trustee Anil Mishra would be in jail if the investigation proves their involvement in any such activity.
This statement comes against the backdrop of SIT getting additional time to conduct the investigation, along with intensified questioning by Uttar Pradesh Police of one of the accused persons.
#WATCH | Ayodhya, UP | On Ram Mandir donations alleged theft case, BJP leader and Bajrang Dal founder Vinay Katiyar says, “Its clear that money has been siphoned off. I spoke to Modi ji over this matter, and he asked what would happen in future. I told him everything will be… pic.twitter.com/eUBB6zSKfu
— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2026
Vinay Katiyar Says Law Will Follow Its Course
In an interview with ANI, Vinay Katiyar accused the money given by the devotees of being stolen, and that he had raised the matter with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
As per him, the law must run its course, and the guilty must be punished by the law.
But as per Vinay Katiyar, there is a chance that Champat Rai, Gopal Rao, and Anil Mishra could land themselves behind the bars if the findings of the investigation prove anything against them.
But Vinay Katiyar’s statement is just his personal statement. The allegations are still under investigations and none of them have been declared guilty by any court of law.
BJP Leader Recalls Ram Janmabhoomi Movement
As part of the interaction, Katiyar also referred to the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation and recalled the contributions of the people involved.
Katiyar offered his respects to former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh for being a good leader during the temple agitation.
Several workers died during the agitation, according to Katiyar, and he considered Kalyan Singh to be a good administrator.
SIT Gets 15 More Days to Continue Investigation
However, the Special Investigation Team investigating the case of the donation money misappropriation scam has been granted an extension of 15 days in which to conduct their investigations.
According to officials, the extension is aimed at allowing the investigators to check the financial documents, question more people, and review evidence regarding the scandal.
The team is expected to investigate all aspects of the case.
Police Question Accused Avinash Shukla
In connection with the probe, Uttar Pradesh Police have been making efforts to question Avinash Shukla who is reportedly linked with counting money collected at the Ram Temple.
The questioning of Shukla is currently underway at the Special Operations Group (SOG) office in Ayodhya and is being supervised by top-ranking police officers, such as Ashutosh Tiwari, Ayodhya Circle Officer.
Earlier, the court at Ayodhya ordered the police to hold Shukla for 24 hours so that he could be questioned.
On June 28, police conducted a search at Shukla’s home.
How the Case Began
This controversy started due to an FIR being filed on 25th June, which states irregularities in the process of dealing with the donation amounts collected by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
Ever since that incident, the investigation is going on regarding financial statements, donation handling procedures, and the actions of individuals related to the temple administration. Moreover, the diversion or misuse of the funds is also under scrutiny.
Trust Says It Will Cooperate
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has maintained that it is committed to a transparent and fair investigation.
The Trust has stated that it will fully cooperate with investigating agencies while ensuring that the faith of millions of devotees remains protected.
