Ayodhya Bar alleges donation theft cover-up, seeks FIR against Champat Rai

The complaint by Faizabad Bar Association contains a series of allegations against senior trust functionaries, claiming that large amounts of cash and jewellery donated by devotees were stolen and that efforts were made to shield the real culprits.

In Short

• Complaint alleges undisclosed recoveries of cash before first FIR was filed
• Lawyers claim people close to trust leaders handled donation counting
• Bar Association alleges scapegoating in case, demands strict against culprit

The Faizabad Bar Association has lodged a police complaint seeking an FIR against former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, trust member Anil Mishra, temple official Gopal Rao and others, alleging their involvement in the alleged embezzlement of donations and valuables offered by devotees at the Ram temple.

The complaint, a copy of which has been accessed by India Today, was submitted at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station after lawyers took out a protest march in Ayodhya.

Filed by advocate Shailendra Kumar Jaiswal, the elected general secretary of the Faizabad Bar Association, the complaint contains a series of allegations against senior trust functionaries, claiming that large amounts of cash and jewellery donated by devotees were systematically stolen and that efforts were made to shield the real culprits.

ALLEGATIONS OF THEFT OF DEVOTEES’ OFFERINGS

In the complaint, Jaiswal states that members of the Bar Association have long been associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and many lawyers regularly contribute donations at the temple. He says the alleged theft of devotees' offerings has deeply hurt the sentiments of devotees and members of the legal fraternity.

"The continuous theft of large sums of money and valuable jewellery coming into the temple donation boxes has come to light through various reports," the complaint says.

The advocate alleges that Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao were directly involved in the alleged embezzlement of donations and valuables and that people close to them were deployed in the counting process, enabling the thefts.

CLAIMS OVER RECOVERED CASH

One of the most serious allegations in the complaint concerns money that was allegedly recovered before the registration of the FIR.

"he complaint alleges that Rs 10 lakh, purportedly linked to the donation theft, was recovered from cow dung and that Rs 58 lakh was recovered on June 5, 2026, but neither recovery was disclosed in the FIR or made public.

"Neither these facts were mentioned in the FIR nor have any details regarding them been brought into the public domain," the complaint states.

Jaiswal further alleges that the money had already been siphoned off and later "recovered" before the case was formally registered.

QUESTIONS RAISED OVER SIT PROBE

The complaint also targets the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government after the controversy erupted.

According to the complaint, public outrage over the alleged theft forced the trust to support the formation of an SIT, but the move was allegedly aimed at protecting the trust's image.

The complaint alleges that the SIT was not independent and that its findings were being used to shield senior functionaries.

It further claims that despite allegations against Rai, Mishra and Rao, the first FIR filed in the case did not name them.

Instead, the complaint alleges, other individuals were made scapegoats while the main accused were kept out of the investigation.

FIR MANIPULATION ALLEGATION

The lawyers' complaint points to the first FIR registered in the case and claims that key names were deliberately omitted.

It argues that although the investigation allegedly pointed towards the involvement of senior trust functionaries, the FIR was filed against other individuals.

The complaint also references trustee Krishna Mohan, who had filed the original complaint in the matter, alleging that the case was structured in a manner that did not fix responsibility on those allegedly involved in the theft.

‘ATTEMPT TO SUPPRESS SCANDAL’

The complaint accuses the trust leadership of trying to downplay the issue despite emerging evidence. It alleges that public statements claiming no irregularities were found during audits were misleading.

According to the complaint, such statements were intended to conceal the alleged theft of devotees' donations and jewellery and to deflect scrutiny from senior officials.

The lawyer further alleges that devotees' faith has been damaged by the controversy and argues that strict legal action is necessary to restore confidence.

DEMAND FOR CRIMINAL ACTION

The Bar Association has urged police to register a criminal case against Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, Gopal Rao and other trust functionaries allegedly involved in the case.

The complaint seeks a fair and impartial investigation and demands stringent legal action against those found responsible.

"It is necessary to take strict action so that the faith of crores of devotees in Lord Ram and the temple remains intact," the complaint says.

WHAT’S THE DONATION THEFT CASE?

The alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations first came to light on June 7. An FIR was subsequently registered on June 25 following a preliminary report submitted by an SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government.

So far, eight people associated with the donation collection and counting process have been arrested.

Police sources have said cash recoveries during the investigation include Rs 20.39 lakh from Avinash Shukla, Rs 18.07 lakh from Karunesh Pandey, Rs 16.82 lakh from Anukalp Mishra, Rs 14.25 lakh from Lavkush Mishra, Rs 7.32 lakh from Ramashankar Mishra and Rs 1 lakh from Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu. Investigators have also recovered gold, silver and foreign currency.

The controversy has snowballed into a major political issue, with opposition parties demanding a Supreme Court-monitored probe, a judicial inquiry and an audit of temple donations.

The latest complaint comes ahead of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust meeting scheduled for July 6, where issues arising from the donation embezzlement controversy are expected to be discussed.

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