Ayodhya:
The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has named Jagdish Aphale, an IIT Bombay alumnus and civil engineer who served as project manager during the Ram temple’s construction, as the trust’s first-ever secretary. He will oversee the trust’s financial transactions as part of a wider administrative restructuring.
Appointment Follows Donation Embezzlement Row
The newly created post of secretary comes in the wake of an alleged donation embezzlement case that rocked the trust, resulting in the resignations of then general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra. In response, the trust constituted an interim three-member team — comprising retired Indian Forest Service officer Krishna Mohan as interim general secretary, Jagdish Aphale, and chartered accountant Chandan Rai — to oversee banking-related activities while a permanent structure was finalised.
Who Is Jagdish Aphale?
A Pune resident, Aphale holds engineering degrees including an MTech from IIT Bombay and has worked in India, Europe, and the United States before returning to the country. He was among a team of senior engineers who provided technical expertise throughout the Ram temple’s construction, from laying the foundation to the plinth and other structural work, serving on a voluntary basis on behalf of the trust since its inception.
Political Reactions to the Controversy
The donation scam controversy has drawn political criticism, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav linking it to the ongoing debate over the NEET paper leak issue. “Those who could not protect donation boxes and the offerings made by devotees cannot be expected to prevent paper leaks,” Yadav said, while SP MPs staged a protest in the Parliament complex over the alleged embezzlement.
What This Means for the Trust
The creation of the secretary’s post, along with a planned spokesperson role, marks a broader effort by the trust to strengthen financial oversight and transparency following the controversy. The restructuring proposal was expected to come up for formal approval at the trust’s executive meeting.
Note: This report is based on information available from trust sources and news agencies at the time of publication. Further details on the trust’s restructuring may follow.
