Ram Mandir Trust accepts Champat Rai, Anil Mishra resignations over donation row

The Ram Mandir Trust has accepted the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra after a marathon meeting on the donation embezzlement case. The Trust also broke its silence over the controversy.

In Short

• Trust says it is 'sad' and 'ashamed' over donation theft controversy
• Trust advances July 11 meeting to discuss donation embezzlement case
• Resignations accepted automatically as per Trust rules

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday accepted the resignations of its general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra after a marathon meeting in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, as the temple body sought to contain the fallout from the alleged donation embezzlement case.

The decision came after a meeting lasting more than three hours inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, where trustees reviewed the ongoing investigation into the alleged theft of temple donations and discussed administrative measures following the controversy.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri confirmed that the resignations submitted by Rai and Mishra had been accepted.

"We are sad. We are ashamed by what happened," Govind Giri said, adding that both Champat Rai and Anil Mishra had submitted their resignations, which had now been accepted.

He also said the resignations stood accepted automatically under the Trust's rules.

MEETING ADVANCED AMID DONATION ROW

Govind Giri said the Trust had originally planned to hold its meeting on July 11 but decided to advance it in view of the developments surrounding the donation theft case.

"It was decided to hold the scheduled Trust meeting (originally set for July 11) as early as possible; consequently, acting on information shared with everyone, we convened it today, July 6," he said.

According to Govind Giri, the meeting was attended by Trust chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, Yug Purush Swami Parmanand, Pejawar Math seer Swami Vishwaprasannatirtha, newly inducted trustee Krishna Mohan and Ayodhya District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi.

"Thus, this highly significant meeting, attended by the full quorum, was a lengthy and successful session that brought everyone together," he said.

TRUST REVIEWS DONATION THEFT PROBE

The meeting began at around 3.15 pm at the guest house inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex and concluded around 6.30 pm.

Champat Rai and Anil Mishra did not attend the meeting.

Sources had earlier said the Trust was expected to review the progress of the Special Investigation Team's probe into the alleged donation theft, deliberate on the resignations of Rai and Mishra and discuss appointments to key posts if their resignations were accepted.

The meeting was held under tight security, with additional police personnel deployed around the Ram temple complex. The venue was shifted from Mani Ram Das Chhawani to the temple complex, with security cited as the reason for the change.

DONATION CASE UNDER SCANNER

The Trust meeting came against the backdrop of an expanding investigation into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations.

The alleged irregularities surfaced on June 7, following which the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate the matter.

Based on the SIT's preliminary findings, an FIR was registered on June 25 and several people associated with the counting of donations have since been arrested.

The SIT is also carrying out a wider audit of the Trust's accounts, examining cash donations as well as offerings including gold, silver, jewellery and other valuables.

The controversy has triggered political reactions, with opposition parties seeking greater transparency in the handling of temple donations and demanding an independent probe into the alleged embezzlement.

- Ends