The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust held its second meeting in Ayodhya on Wednesday and reviewed temple administration matters, donation management, security arrangements and future governance plans as the probe in the alleged donation theft case continues. The trust has received 5,200 applications for the post of CEO and has hence deferred the appointment by a month to allow the selection committee more time to scrutinise the applications.&nbsp;&nbsp;Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri said the trust had received 5,200 applications for the CEO post. “A total of 5,200 applications have been received for the Ram Temple Trust CEO post. Considering the volume of applications, the selection committee sought one month’s additional time, which has been approved by the Trust.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-drones-hit-warehouses-of-russia-s-top-online-retailer-wildberries-again-1784728533655">Ukrainian drones hit warehouses of Russia’s top online retailer Wildberries, again</a><h2>Permanent institute to be established for training priests</h2>&nbsp;Giri further said that the trust had decided to establish a permanent institute for training priests. “We have decided to set up a permanent institute for training priests, who would be certified by the Ram temple trust,” Giri said.&nbsp;He added that the trust would appoint a secretary on an interim basis to meet its growing administrative requirements until the CEO were selected.&nbsp;&nbsp;Interim general secretary Krishna Mohan said the trust is still awaiting the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged donation theft case.&nbsp;“There was no discussion on the appointment of the CEO as the SIT report has not been received yet,” Krishna Mohan said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/oppn-using-students-as-political-tools-creating-manufactured-sense-of-anger-rajnath-singh-1784716925229">‘Oppn using students as political tools, creating ‘manufactured sense of anger’: Rajnath Singh</a><h2>Committee to oversee religious affairs of Ram Temple</h2>&nbsp;The trust also announced the formation of a permanent committee to oversee the religious affairs of the Ram temple. Giri said the committee will comprise nine saints, including five from Ayodhya and four from outside, to supervise the temple’s religious activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;The committee includes Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, Swami Vishwaprasannatirtha Ji Maharaj, Swami Dinendra Das Ji, Swami Kamalnayan Das Ji, Mahant Rajkumar Das Ji, Swami Ramanand Das Ji and Mithilesh Nandini Sharan Ji, among others.&nbsp;Addressing reporters after the meeting, Swami Govind Dev Giri said the temple belongs to Ayodhya and its religious affairs should be guided by the city’s saints. “The entire religious work of the temple will be carried out by the Dharmik Samiti. The decisions of Ayodhya’s saints will be paramount,” he said.&nbsp;The committee will oversee the temple rituals, decide the dates for annual religious observances, supervise the training of priests and work towards establishing a dedicated institution for training archakas.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonam-wangchuk-puts-condition-for-ending-fast-seeks-assurance-of-no-punitive-action-against-protesters-1784724401578">Sonam Wangchuk puts condition for ending fast, seeks assurance of no punitive action against protesters</a><h2>‘Number of devotees visiting Ram Temple remains unchanged'</h2>&nbsp;“Despite all the propaganda and exaggerated allegations, the number of devotees visiting the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple remains unchanged. This is proof that the faith and belief of millions of Ram devotees remains unwavering despite baseless, false, and misleading allegations,” Krishna Mohan added.&nbsp;Considering the need for continued communication with the society through the media, the Trust has decided to appoint a spokesperson.&nbsp;Krishna Mohan will continue as the interim general secretary until further decisions are taken.&nbsp;The Trust has also decided to appoint an official spokesperson to ensure better communication with devotees and the public. The process of filling vacant trustee positions would take a few more weeks, it added.The next meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is scheduled to be held on September 2.

The Trust’s interim general secretary Krishna Mohan said the number of devotees visiting the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple remains unchanged despite all the baseless and exaggerated allegations which is a proof that the faith and belief of millions of devotees remains unwavering.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust held its second meeting in Ayodhya on Wednesday and reviewed temple administration matters, donation management, security arrangements and future governance plans as the probe in the alleged donation theft case continues. The trust has received 5,200 applications for the post of CEO and has hence deferred the appointment by a month to allow the selection committee more time to scrutinise the applications. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri said the trust had received 5,200 applications for the CEO post. “A total of 5,200 applications have been received for the Ram Temple Trust CEO post. Considering the volume of applications, the selection committee sought one month’s additional time, which has been approved by the Trust.” Also Read: Ukrainian drones hit warehouses of Russia’s top online retailer Wildberries, again Permanent institute to be established for training priests Giri further said that the trust had decided to establish a permanent institute for training priests. “We have decided to set up a permanent institute for training priests, who would be certified by the Ram temple trust,” Giri said. He added that the trust would appoint a secretary on an interim basis to meet its growing administrative requirements until the CEO were selected. Interim general secretary Krishna Mohan said the trust is still awaiting the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged donation theft case. “There was no discussion on the appointment of the CEO as the SIT report has not been received yet,” Krishna Mohan said. Also Read: ‘Oppn using students as political tools, creating ‘manufactured sense of anger’: Rajnath Singh Committee to oversee religious affairs of Ram Temple The trust also announced the formation of a permanent committee to oversee the religious affairs of the Ram temple. Giri said the committee will comprise nine saints, including five from Ayodhya and four from outside, to supervise the temple’s religious activities. The committee includes Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, Swami Vishwaprasannatirtha Ji Maharaj, Swami Dinendra Das Ji, Swami Kamalnayan Das Ji, Mahant Rajkumar Das Ji, Swami Ramanand Das Ji and Mithilesh Nandini Sharan Ji, among others. Addressing reporters after the meeting, Swami Govind Dev Giri said the temple belongs to Ayodhya and its religious affairs should be guided by the city’s saints. “The entire religious work of the temple will be carried out by the Dharmik Samiti. The decisions of Ayodhya’s saints will be paramount,” he said. The committee will oversee the temple rituals, decide the dates for annual religious observances, supervise the training of priests and work towards establishing a dedicated institution for training archakas. Also Read: Sonam Wangchuk puts condition for ending fast, seeks assurance of no punitive action against protesters ‘Number of devotees visiting Ram Temple remains unchanged' “Despite all the propaganda and exaggerated allegations, the number of devotees visiting the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple remains unchanged. This is proof that the faith and belief of millions of Ram devotees remains unwavering despite baseless, false, and misleading allegations,” Krishna Mohan added. Considering the need for continued communication with the society through the media, the Trust has decided to appoint a spokesperson. Krishna Mohan will continue as the interim general secretary until further decisions are taken. The Trust has also decided to appoint an official spokesperson to ensure better communication with devotees and the public. The process of filling vacant trustee positions would take a few more weeks, it added. The next meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is scheduled to be held on September 2.

The Trust’s interim general secretary Krishna Mohan said the number of devotees visiting the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple remains unchanged despite all the baseless and exaggerated allegations which is a proof that the faith and belief of millions of devotees remains unwavering.

‘CEO selection to take time; faith of devotees remains unwavering’: Ram Temple Trust

As investigation continues into the alleged donation theft at Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered nine major procedural and security failures that it says have enabled the alleged embezzlement of funds. The investigation revealed that the irregularities stemmed from repeated violations of established protocols rather than a single security breach. The findings indicate that several layers of financial oversight and physical security were either ignored or poorly implemented, leaving the donation-counting process vulnerable to manipulation.<h2>What did the SIT find?</h2>The investigators found that employees were not frisked before they entered or exited the cash counting hall in the temple. It was also found that there was no rule mandating a pocketless uniform, which could prevent cash from being concealed during the counting process.The SIT also found that employees were given permission to carry their personal items, including bags, into the counting area despite rules prohibiting such practices. According to the officials, this is believed to have weakened security and increased the risk of unauthorised handling of cash.Regarding the accounting system, &nbsp;the investigation found that money collected from each donation box was not counted separately. Cash from multiple hundis was reportedly mixed together before being processed. This made it impossible to verify collections from individual donation boxes or accurately reconcile records.Another key finding was the absence of detailed documentation during counting. The SIT found no denomination-wise records, vouchers or certification documents to establish how much money had been received, counted and deposited. Without such records, auditing the collections became extremely difficult.The probe also highlighted that attendance of employees was not monitored properly. Biometric verification for counting staff was either not properly implemented or inconsistently followed, making it difficult to determine who was present during individual counting sessions.The SIT concluded that these failures collectively dismantled the safeguards intended to protect temple donations, allowing financial irregularities to go undetected for an extended period.

SIT found nine major lapses in the Ram Temple donation counting system, including weak security, poor documentation, mixed cash counting and lack of staff monitoring, enabling alleged fund embezzlement.

As investigation continues into the alleged donation theft at Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered nine major procedural and security failures that it says have enabled the alleged embezzlement of funds. The investigation revealed that the irregularities stemmed from repeated violations of established protocols rather than a single security breach. The findings indicate that several layers of financial oversight and physical security were either ignored or poorly implemented, leaving the donation-counting process vulnerable to manipulation. What did the SIT find? The investigators found that employees were not frisked before they entered or exited the cash counting hall in the temple. It was also found that there was no rule mandating a pocketless uniform, which could prevent cash from being concealed during the counting process. The SIT also found that employees were given permission to carry their personal items, including bags, into the counting area despite rules prohibiting such practices. According to the officials, this is believed to have weakened security and increased the risk of unauthorised handling of cash. Regarding the accounting system, the investigation found that money collected from each donation box was not counted separately. Cash from multiple hundis was reportedly mixed together before being processed. This made it impossible to verify collections from individual donation boxes or accurately reconcile records. Another key finding was the absence of detailed documentation during counting. The SIT found no denomination-wise records, vouchers or certification documents to establish how much money had been received, counted and deposited. Without such records, auditing the collections became extremely difficult. The probe also highlighted that attendance of employees was not monitored properly. Biometric verification for counting staff was either not properly implemented or inconsistently followed, making it difficult to determine who was present during individual counting sessions. The SIT concluded that these failures collectively dismantled the safeguards intended to protect temple donations, allowing financial irregularities to go undetected for an extended period.

SIT found nine major lapses in the Ram Temple donation counting system, including weak security, poor documentation, mixed cash counting and lack of staff monitoring, enabling alleged fund embezzlement.

How did the alleged Ram Temple donation theft happen? SIT points to nine major lapses

As the probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya continues, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday (Jun 29) questioned former Trust chief Champat Rai for over three hours and recorded his statement. Rai has denied any involvement in the alleged donation theft. Trust member Anil Mishra was also questioned in the matter. Days earlier the two had resigned amid the constrovery involving irregularities in the handling of cash donations made by devotees at the temple, which holds immense significance as the revered birthplace of Lord Ram, a central deity in Hinduism.According to a PTI report, citing sources, Rai denied any involvement into the misappropriation of donation funds. He also told the investigators that he had not imagined employees entrusted with handling devotees’ offerings could be linked to such allegations.As part of the investigation, the police have issued notices to Trust members Anil Misra and Gopal Rao. The Trust is also preparing for an internal meeting scheduled for July 6, where it is expected to consider resignations submitted by Rai and Mishra.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ram-temple-donation-theft-row-trust-confirms-resignation-of-champat-rai-1782618859422">Ram Temple donation theft row: Trust confirms resignation of Champat Rai</a><h2>VHP defends Rai</h2>Defending Rai, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has maintained that the Trust itself flagged irregularities and initiated corrective steps. VHP international president Alok Kumar said that an internal review revealed discrepancies, following which about Rs 80 lakh was recovered and a formal request was made to the Uttar Pradesh government to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT). It added that Rai fully cooperated with investigators.<h2>Ayodhya Bar Association refuses to represent accused</h2>The controversy has also triggered outrage from the legal bodies, with Faizabad Bar Association in Ayodhya announcing that none of its members would represent the accused named in the embezzlement case. It also warned to impose a Rs 5 lakh penalty on any lawyer violating the decision.The association has called for Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao to leave Ayodhya within three days, warning of blockade in the city if they don’t.Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India has deferred urgent hearing on a petition seeking a monitored probe, stating it will be taken up after reopening from vacation. The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier formed an SIT following the Trust’s request for investigation.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ram-temple-donation-theft-row-sit-findings-arrests-and-allegations-what-we-know-so-far-1782558176585">Ram Temple donation theft row: SIT findings, arrests and allegations – What we know so far</a><h2>Ram Temple row</h2>The investigation was launched after former SP MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, alleged that donations worth Rs 7 crore to Rs 7.5 crore had been siphoned off from the Ram Mandir. Following the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government set up a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 14 at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The formal complaint was registered after the findings and suggestions in the preliminary report of the SIT.In the FIR, eight people were named, including Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Yadav, Rajesh Pathak, Ramashankar Yadav (Tinnu Yadav), Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Subhash Srivastava, and other unidentified persons. All eight were taken into police custody and were being questioned.

SIT questioned Champat Rai and Anil Mishra in Ayodhya Ram Temple donation probe. Rai denied involvement in alleged irregularities as notices were issued to other Trust members.

As the probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya continues, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday (Jun 29) questioned former Trust chief Champat Rai for over three hours and recorded his statement. Rai has denied any involvement in the alleged donation theft. Trust member Anil Mishra was also questioned in the matter. Days earlier the two had resigned amid the constrovery involving irregularities in the handling of cash donations made by devotees at the temple, which holds immense significance as the revered birthplace of Lord Ram, a central deity in Hinduism. According to a PTI report, citing sources, Rai denied any involvement into the misappropriation of donation funds. He also told the investigators that he had not imagined employees entrusted with handling devotees’ offerings could be linked to such allegations. As part of the investigation, the police have issued notices to Trust members Anil Misra and Gopal Rao. The Trust is also preparing for an internal meeting scheduled for July 6, where it is expected to consider resignations submitted by Rai and Mishra. Also read | Ram Temple donation theft row: Trust confirms resignation of Champat Rai VHP defends Rai Defending Rai, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has maintained that the Trust itself flagged irregularities and initiated corrective steps. VHP international president Alok Kumar said that an internal review revealed discrepancies, following which about Rs 80 lakh was recovered and a formal request was made to the Uttar Pradesh government to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT). It added that Rai fully cooperated with investigators. Ayodhya Bar Association refuses to represent accused The controversy has also triggered outrage from the legal bodies, with Faizabad Bar Association in Ayodhya announcing that none of its members would represent the accused named in the embezzlement case. It also warned to impose a Rs 5 lakh penalty on any lawyer violating the decision. The association has called for Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao to leave Ayodhya within three days, warning of blockade in the city if they don’t. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India has deferred urgent hearing on a petition seeking a monitored probe, stating it will be taken up after reopening from vacation. The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier formed an SIT following the Trust’s request for investigation. Also read | Ram Temple donation theft row: SIT findings, arrests and allegations – What we know so far Ram Temple row The investigation was launched after former SP MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, alleged that donations worth Rs 7 crore to Rs 7.5 crore had been siphoned off from the Ram Mandir. Following the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government set up a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 14 at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The formal complaint was registered after the findings and suggestions in the preliminary report of the SIT. In the FIR, eight people were named, including Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Yadav, Rajesh Pathak, Ramashankar Yadav (Tinnu Yadav), Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Subhash Srivastava, and other unidentified persons. All eight were taken into police custody and were being questioned.

SIT questioned Champat Rai and Anil Mishra in Ayodhya Ram Temple donation probe. Rai denied involvement in alleged irregularities as notices were issued to other Trust members.

Ram Temple donation theft row: Champat Rai grilled by SIT for over three hours

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‘CEO selection to take time; faith of devotees remains unwavering’: Ram Temple Trust

How did alleged Ram Temple donation theft happen? SIT points to 9 major lapses

Ram Temple donation theft row: Champat Rai grilled by SIT for over three hours