- The Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh dismissed the allegations as fake news
- A week later, his own government ordered an inquiry into alleged siphoning off donations at the Ram Temple
- Rs 7-7.5 crore is reportedly missing
The Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh dismissed the allegations as fake news.
Nearly a week later, his own government ordered an inquiry into alleged siphoning off donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had claimed that crores of rupees from donations made at the Ram Temple were missing and demanded judicial intervention.
He termed the issue "extremely sensitive" for devotees and questioned the silence of both the temple trust and the state government.
"Those trying to spread rumours about Shri Ram Temple are attempting to create a false narrative. The people of the state understand such politics," Brajesh Pathak, the Deputy Chief Minister, said on May 8.
Responding to the allegations, Trust general secretary Champat Rai had said that internal audits were underway and no evidence supporting the claims had emerged so far. He had said representatives of the trust and the State Bank of India were involved in periodic audits and that nothing had come to light during the ongoing exercise.
Yadav had called the Trust's clarification vague and demanded that all its members come together to explain the matter. He also suggested examining CCTV footage to verify the donation amount.
Nearly Rs 7-7.5 crore is reportedly missing.
Following directions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government on Saturday constituted an SIT comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police (Lucknow Range) Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan.
The team has reportedly been asked to submit a preliminary report within seven days and a final report within 15 days.
When contacted, one of the members of the SIT declined to comment on the scope or timeline of the inquiry.
"Any task that is assigned to us by the government will be carried out. Beyond this, I have nothing to say," the SIT member told news agency PTI.
The trust had urged the government to order a detailed investigation to establish the facts and dispel what it described as rumours circulating on social media.
"The trust sought a thorough inquiry, calling it necessary to check misinformation and bring out the truth, alleging that attempts were being made to tarnish the image of the Ram temple and hurt the faith of millions of devotees," the government said in a statement.
The controversy subsequently escalated, with former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh claiming he was aware of alleged misuse of donations but declined to reveal details.
Another senior BJP leader Rajneesh Singh has written to PM Modi, seeking public disclosure of the trust's finances, assets, donations, expenditures, bank accounts and land transactions.
Rajneesh Singh said devotees who had contributed to the construction of the temple had a right to know how donations, including cash, ornaments and other valuables, were being utilised.
Prominent leader of Ram Janmabhoomi movement and former BJP MP Vinay Katiyar said the allegation of irregularities in the temple donation fund was very serious.
"People have sacrificed their lives for the cause of this temple. Kalyan Singh (former UP chief minister), myself, and so many others went to jail," he said.
Responding to the controversy, UP Minister Surya Pratap Shahi had said the trust had already initiated an inquiry and would take action in accordance with its rules and regulations, while maintaining that the matter primarily fell within the trust's jurisdiction.
Ram Temple Construction Committee chairman Nripendra Mishra on Saturday distanced himself from the controversy, saying his responsibility was limited to monitoring construction-related work.
"My responsibility is only to monitor the construction work. I have come here to review the construction-related activities," Mishra said.
On questions regarding the alleged donation scam and claims of irregularities in the funds received for the Ram temple, Mishra refused to comment.
"I only look at construction and nothing else," he said.
Mishra also shared updates on the ongoing construction work at the Ram temple complex.
He said a 4-km boundary wall is being built around the complex and 25 watch towers are being constructed to further strengthen security arrangements.
Commenting on the SIT probe, Faizabad Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad demanded removal of all present trust members from their posts till completion of the probe, claiming they will "influence and tamper" with the investigation.
Expressing scepticism, Prasad said the matter should be investigated by a committee headed by sitting judges of the Supreme Court.
On Monday, a representation was submitted before the Supreme Court seeking directions for the registration of an FIR and a court-monitored investigation into allegations of misappropriation of donations at the temple.
Contending that the issue concerns the faith and confidence of millions, the representation claimed that no FIR has yet been registered despite allegations involving donations made by crores of devotees.
It further said that the failure to initiate the ordinary criminal law process could create an impression that the matter is being treated as an administrative irregularity rather than a potentially serious criminal breach of trust.
"The absence of a formal criminal investigation at the threshold, despite allegations involving donations made by crores of devotees, inevitably raises questions regarding the institutional response to the matter," the representation stated.
How Donations Are Collected And Counted
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has placed about four large donation boxes at several places in front of the Ram temple and along the entire darshan route.
Money from these boxes is collected daily.
The Trust has authorised the SBI to count cash. The SBI, in turn, has engaged a private agency for counting.
Ram Mandir has been receiving huge donations ever since its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2024.
On the very first day of public opening in 2024, devotees offered nearly Rs 3.17 crore.
In the first 11 days after inauguration, the temple reportedly received around Rs 11 crore in donations averaging nearly Rs 1 crore per day.
According to annual reports, which came in September 2025, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust reported annual earnings of nearly Rs 327 crore during FY 2024-25. Donations contributed Rs 153 crore while interest income accounted for Rs 173 crore.
The Trust reported an average daily visitor count of 70,000 to 80,000, rising two to three times during weekends and festivals.
A team of 14 people, which includes 11 bank employees and three from the temple trust, counts the offerings in four donation boxes.
A temple trust camp office in-charge Prakash Gupta told news agency IANS that donations received at counters are accepted only against receipts and suggested that any discrepancy, if established, could be linked to the counting of money deposited in donation boxes rather than receipt-based collections.
The temple construction, undertaken by Engineers India Limited, is targeted for completion by August 2026.
