A report by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has found a pattern of cash theft inside the temples counting hall. The findings have led to high-level resignations and a criminal investigation.
70 Instances of Alleged Theft Caught on Camera
The SIT reviewed CCTV footage from April 27 to June 5 2026. Found nearly 70 instances of unauthorised cash movement and suspected misappropriation. The footage showed staff members allegedly putting bundles of currency notes and loose cash into their clothing, pockets, shoes and other personal belongings before leaving the premises.
The thefts happened daily throughout the period under review. The SIT described the pattern as repeated suggesting that specific weaknesses in the counting process were exploited over time.
Cash and Valuables Recovered
Even before the SIT was formally constituted, Trust officials had already carried out a preliminary recovery of Rs 78.94 lakh in cash from the individuals accused of handling the stolen money. Investigators also noted that foreign currency and various jewellery items were found among the personal holdings of those implicated. In a separate development, security personnel recovered an abandoned stash of Rs 2.25 lakh in cash from a bathroom adjacent to the counting room on June 4.
The SIT also flagged instances where some employees appeared to have bank deposits and financial transactions that were disproportionate to their declared income, pointing to a need for deeper financial scrutiny of those involved.
Five Key Findings From the SIT Report
1. Weak Physical Security Checks: The report found that mandatory body searches and frisking of employees at entry and exit points were simply not being conducted. A rule requiring staff to wear pocket-less clothing inside the vault area, intended specifically to prevent concealment of cash, was also not enforced in practice.
2. Personal Belongings Allowed Inside: Employees were reportedly permitted to bring personal items and mobile phones directly onto the active cash-sorting tables, creating easy opportunities for concealment that should not have existed under proper protocol.
3. Flawed Cash Counting and Documentation: Incoming donation urns, known as hundis, were neither sequentially logged nor individually tracked. Contents from separate urns were reportedly intermixed before being documented, making it far harder to trace discrepancies back to their source. On-site supervisors also failed to prepare denomination-wise registers, daily vouchers, and ledger-balancing certificates as required.
4. Non-Functional Monitoring Systems: The automated biometric attendance system was non-functional during the period under review. CCTV cameras were not used for real-time monitoring.
5. Lax Conduct on the Counting Floor: Staff consumed food and beverages inside the counting area indicating oversight.
Individuals Named in the Probe
The SIT’s findings point to the prima facie involvement of at least six individuals: Avinash Shukla, Anukul Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, and Ram Shankar Mishra. According to the report, Lav Kush Mishra was allegedly filmed assisting key figures in moving and concealing currency bundles, while Manish Kumar Yadav, deployed through a private security agency, allegedly pocketed cash directly. Karunesh Pandey is accused of providing physical cover during the thefts, while Ram Shankar Mishra allegedly manipulated and concealed currency bundles from the counting tables.
The report also raises questions about administrative accountability, naming senior Trust official Dr Anil Mishra for a lack of supervisory oversight. As the official reportedly responsible for designing the counting process’s standard operating procedures, he is said to have remained detached from ensuring their actual implementation on the ground.
Fallout at the Temple Trust
The revelations have led to organisational changes at the Trust. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust accepted the resignations of general secretary Champat Rai. Trustee Anil Mishra. Trustee Krishna Mohan has been appointed as general secretary.
Based on the SITs findings Ayodhya Police have registered an FIR. Launched a formal investigation. Eight people have been arrested far in connection with the case.
Unverified Claims Addressed
The SIT report also addressed circulating social media claims regarding allegedly missing silver bricks and other high-value donated items, stating that these claims remain unproven at this stage and lack supporting evidence based on the investigation so far.
What Comes Next
The SIT has been granted a 15-day extension to continue its work. The team has recommended management controls, better documentation practices and tighter verification systems, for high-value offerings going forward.
