- Simultaneous raids being held at homes of eight accused in Ram temple theft case
- Police and local magistrates are involved in raids to track money trail and assets
- Police questioning families and neighbors about sudden changes in financial condition
Simultaneous raids are being conducted at the homes of all eight accused in the Ram temple donation theft case in Ayodhya, as the probe widens to track down the money trail. Police teams and local magistrates are reportedly part of the raiding team that reached their houses this morning. A revenue official is also accompanying them as an independent witness.
The eight men were arrested last week after CCTV footage exposed their involvement in the embezzlement case.
The accused include Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ram Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav.
They were involved in the counting of cash donated by devotees at the temple hundis (donation boxes).
Two days earlier, a local court sent the accused to police custody till Monday. The police are likely to seek their custody when they are presented before the court again tomorrow.
Read: CCTV Camera Covered, Cash Hidden In Toilet: Inside Story Of Ram Temple Theft
'Dramatic Change In Lifestyle'
Sources suggest the police are now questioning the accused's family members to compile a list of the assets they acquired over the past four years, especially land holdings, jewellery, and bank savings.
The raid also seeks to assess the figure likely involved in the theft case, the homes of the accused, and the extent of properties and investments that they held.
It has been learnt that the families of Tinnu and Manish Yadav did not cooperate with the police.
The police are also gathering feedback from neighbours about the family's changed financial status - and if they had bought vehicles or properties recently.
Read: "Guilty Won't Be Spared": Yogi Adityanath On Ram Temple Donation Row
They have learnt about a sudden and dramatic change in the financial condition of one of the accused from his relative. Neha Mishra, aunt of Anukalp Mishra, told the police that the family had a modest economic condition, and that their lifestyle changed after Anukalp Mishra started working with the Ram temple trust.
Rs 80 Lakh Recovered So Far
Though the exact stolen figure is not known yet, it is estimated that Rs 7-7.5 crore cash was missing from the temple books. So far, the police have recovered Rs 79.85 lakh from the accused. It is not known yet if recoveries were made during today's raids.
A theft and conspiracy case was filed after a three-member Special Investigation Team, formed to probe the theft scandal, submitted a preliminary report to the Uttar Pradesh government.
The charges invoked against the accused include theft by servant, criminal breach of trust, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy, besides sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
