India
-Oneindia English Desk
A three-member Special Investigation Team visited the Ram Mandir complex in Ayodhya on 15 June as part of its inquiry into allegations of misappropriation of donation funds linked to the temple. The visit marks the first visible step in a state-ordered probe that has drawn political attention and public concern because of the temple’s national significance and the scale of offerings received from devotees.
The SIT members entered the temple premises through Gate No. 11 on Monday. The Uttar Pradesh government constituted the team two days earlier, after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust sought a detailed investigation. The Trust said the inquiry was needed to establish facts, counter misinformation and address claims circulating on social media, PTI reported citing sources.
A three-member SIT visited Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir on June 15 to probe alleged misappropriation of donation funds following a request by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which sought to counter online misinformation.
SIT begins Ram Mandir donation probe in Ayodhya
The SIT includes Vijay Vishwas Pant, Divisional Commissioner, Lucknow; Kiran S, Inspector General of Police; and Neel Ratan, Special Secretary, Finance. The composition indicates that the government wants the inquiry to examine administrative, policing and financial aspects of the allegations. The state has said the team will conduct a comprehensive probe and submit its findings to the government.
It all started on 7 June 2026, when Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav referred to reports claiming that crores of rupees offered as donations at the Ram temple were missing. He urged the court to take cognisance of the matter. The remarks pushed the issue into a wider political debate, with questions raised about transparency in the handling of temple donations.
The temple Trust rejected any rush to conclusions and said internal audits were already underway. Champat Rai, the Trust’s general secretary, had said nothing had emerged till then to substantiate the allegations. The Trust later requested the state government to order a detailed inquiry, arguing that the matter should be settled through facts rather than claims amplified online.
Nripendra Mishra, chairperson of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, said on Monday that there would be no laxity in the probe. Speaking to reporters in Ayodhya, where he has been camping for three days, Mishra said the investigation had two dimensions. “There are two aspects to the investigation – criminal and future improvement. We will be able to win the trust of the devotees only when both are addressed,” he said.
Why the allegations carry wider public significance
The Ram Mandir is not only a major religious site but also one of India’s most closely watched public faith projects. Donations to the temple come from devotees across the country and abroad, making financial transparency central to public confidence. Any allegation involving offerings, even before being proved, can quickly become sensitive because it concerns faith, trust and institutional accountability.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was set up to oversee the construction and management of the temple following the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict in the Ayodhya title dispute. Since then, the Trust has handled donations, construction-related decisions and coordination with government agencies for facilities around the temple town. That role has placed its financial practices under periodic public scrutiny.
For devotees, the key question is whether offerings are being recorded, audited and used as intended. For the administration, the challenge is different: it must determine whether there is any criminal wrongdoing, whether rumours have distorted facts, and whether existing systems need stronger safeguards. The SIT’s findings will therefore matter beyond the immediate allegation.
The team is expected to examine records, procedures and any complaint material connected to the alleged misappropriation. It may also look at donation collection systems, accounting processes, internal audit findings and the chain of custody for offerings. Officials have not yet publicly disclosed a timeline for submission of the report or the specific documents being reviewed.
With inputs from agencies
