- Champat Rai denied allegations and vowed silence until the SIT final report is released
- Rai resigned as general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on moral grounds
- Eight people have been arrested in connection with the theft case
Champat Rai, who resigned as the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust over the Ram Temple donation theft row, released an open letter on Tuesday amid calls for action against him and said the allegations were baseless. In the handwritten note addressed to devotees of Lord Ram, the former temple trust official said he has taken a vow of silence, which he will break after the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) final report comes out.
"Since June 7, 2026, various types of discussions/rumors have been going on regarding a theft committed during the counting of the donation box at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple premises. Personally, people have made baseless allegations against me. I have taken a vow of silence," he wrote in the Hindi letter.
The temple trust manages the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Rai had been at the forefront of the temple's management since before its construction began.
The temple has been embroiled in a massive row after the authorities found that those responsible for counting the donation money allegedly embezzled crores of rupees.
Also read: Cops Trace Sources Of Rs 15 Lakh Transactions In Ram Temple Theft Case
Also read: Champat Rai's Resignation Accepted By Ram Temple Trust Amid Donation Theft Row
Eight people have been arrested in connection with the temple donation theft, many of whom were found enjoying lifestyles that didn't match their incomes.
Rai resigned on moral grounds, and his resignation was accepted on Monday.
The Opposition has called for a probe into Rai's alleged role in the theft row.
"In the meeting of the Temple Trust concluded on July 6, the preliminary report of the SIT (Special Investigation Team) was presented; this report has now become public. I assure all of you that after the final report of the SIT comes out, I will give my response chronologically on all the points," he said.
He also mentioned that the report was supposed to be top secret, but it was leaked in the meeting.
He has been cooperating with the investigation and was recently questioned by the probe team.
Life Open Book: Champat Rai
The preliminary investigation indicated that theft/misappropriation occurred during the counting of donations at the temple.
Approximately 70 instances of the counting personnel concealing bundles of notes and loose cash were found in the available CCTV footage, it said, adding the alleged crime became possible because prescribed security measures were not effectively implemented.
Also read: Stolen From Ram Temple, Spent On iPhone For Girlfriend: A Key Confession
Champat Rai said his life has been an "open book".
"The truth will come out. My life as a Pracharak (campaigner/worker) spans 45 years; wherever I have lived, it has been like an open book," he added.
The trust has appointed the trustee, Krishna Mohan, as its interim general secretary.
It has also announced the formation of a three-member search committee to identify a chief executive officer (CEO). The panel comprises retired judge Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and trustee Suresh Haware.
