The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's Office In-charge Prakash Gupta on Thursday squarely blamed workers deployed by the State Bank of India (SBI) for the alleged theft of offerings and donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as the embezzlement controversy surrounding the shrine deepened. Gupta maintained that the Trust itself bore no responsibility for the purported misappropriation.

What the Trust's Office In-charge Said

Prakash Gupta stated that SBI had entered into a formal agreement with the Temple Trust to manage the counting of donations, and that the bank was solely accountable for the personnel assigned to the task. 'SBI was responsible for counting. It brought people who were assigned the task because there was an agreement between SBI and the Temple Trust,' he said.

Gupta acknowledged that one member of the Trust used to supervise the counting process but claimed that individual was unaware of any theft occurring. He categorically distanced the Trust from the controversy, saying, 'It has got nothing to do with the Trust or its members.'

The Eight Arrested and the Role of Tinnu Yadav

Regarding the eight accused arrested in connection with the embezzlement case, Gupta identified them as personnel involved in the donation-counting process. He named Tinnu Yadav as the person responsible for overseeing the counting, and noted that Yadav also managed maintenance duties within the Trust's campus — a role that gave him relatively broad access to the premises. Yadav reportedly also handled VIP darshan arrangements for guests, owing to his long tenure at the site.

Gupta urged authorities to conduct a 'fair and thorough probe' into the matter.

Allegations Against Former General Secretary Champat Rai

Dharm Sena Bharat chief and former karsevak Santosh Dubey separately alleged on the same day that gold and silver ornaments and other precious offerings made at the Ram Temple had gone missing and were reportedly being traded at shops within Ayodhya. Dubey alleged that Champat Rai, the Trust's former General Secretary, was aware of this.

Dubey urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to immediately remove the current officers of the Ram Janmabhoomi Police Station, warning that their continued presence could hamper the investigation.

Why This Matters

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya, consecrated in January 2024, receives crores of rupees in donations and precious offerings annually from millions of devotees. Any credible allegation of embezzlement strikes at the heart of public trust in the institution. Notably, the controversy arrives at a politically sensitive juncture, given the temple's significance to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its wider Hindu nationalist constituency.

This is the first major financial controversy to engulf the Trust since the temple's consecration. With arrests already made and pressure mounting on the state government to act, the direction of the investigation — and the question of institutional accountability — will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.