Daijiworld Media Network - Ayodhya

Ayodhya, Jun 25: An FIR has been registered against eight persons in connection with alleged theft, misappropriation of cash, valuables and donations received for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, two days after the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted its preliminary report.

The complaint was filed by the Ramjanmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, based on which the case was registered at the Ramjanmabhoomi police station in Ayodhya.

Additional Director General (ADG), Lucknow Zone, Praveen Kumar, confirmed that trust member Krishna Mohan is the complainant in the case.

Those named as accused include Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Lavkush Mishra and Anukalp Mishra, among others. Officials said Lavkush and Anukalp were involved in counting cash and valuables received as donations at the temple.

Ram Shankar Yadav, an accused in the case, had earlier worked as the driver of trust general secretary Champat Rai and had been associated with temple management activities since the consecration ceremony in 2022, an official said.

The FIR includes charges related to theft, criminal misappropriation, embezzlement of funds and valuables donated for the Ram Temple.

The three-member SIT, comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, IG Lucknow Range Kiran S and Special Secretary, Finance Department, Neel Ratan, submitted its preliminary report to Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjay Prasad on Tuesday morning.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is learnt to have reviewed the report after returning to Lucknow.

Officials said all eight persons named in the FIR had remained under the observation of temple security authorities in Ayodhya since the SIT submitted its report. Further investigation into the matter is underway.