Ayodhya Police on Saturday, 18 July took custody of Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav and his nephew Manish Yadav — the last two accused yet to face custodial interrogation in the Ram Temple donation theft case. A special court in Ayodhya had granted police a 39-hour custody remand of the duo the previous day, paving the way for what investigators describe as the final phase of questioning before the chargesheet is filed.

Who the Two Accused Are

Investigators regard Tinnu Yadav as one of the principal accused in the alleged embezzlement from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. He was reportedly a close associate of the trust's former General Secretary Champat Rai and had been linked to the temple's donation management system. According to the investigation, Tinnu Yadav oversaw the temple's donation boxes, while his nephew Manish Yadav was involved in the counting of offerings.

During searches conducted last month, police recovered ₹1 lakh from Tinnu Yadav's residence and ₹2 lakh from Manish Yadav's home.

What the Interrogation Will Cover

The two accused were taken from Ayodhya district jail on Saturday morning. Police said the interrogation will focus on the alleged diversion of devotees' donations, the exact roles played by the two men during the cash-counting process, the movement of allegedly misappropriated funds, and suspected investment of proceeds in movable and immovable assets.

The duo will also be confronted with statements made by the six co-accused who have already undergone police custody, and questioned on financial records, electronic evidence, and documents recovered during the investigation.

Background: Eight Arrested, Six Already Questioned

The case relates to the alleged theft of cash donations from the strong room of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. Eight people — most associated with the temple's cash-counting process through outsourced agencies — have been arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement. Police completed custodial interrogation of the remaining six accused across multiple phases between 3 July and 15 July.

During those rounds, investigators claimed to have recovered cash, gold ornaments, and two sport utility vehicles allegedly purchased using misappropriated donation money, along with documents relating to investments and other assets. Several bank accounts belonging to the accused and their family members have also been frozen as part of the financial investigation.

Parallel SIT Probe and Supreme Court Oversight

The criminal investigation is running alongside a parallel administrative enquiry by the Uttar Pradesh government's Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has already completed its probe into alleged supervisory failures, security lapses, and procedural deficiencies in the temple's donation management system. The SIT is expected to submit its final report to the state government after updating the Supreme Court on the status of the investigation.

Officials said the custodial interrogation of Tinnu Yadav and Manish Yadav is expected to be crucial in verifying the alleged money trail, establishing the sequence of events, and reconciling evidence gathered in earlier interrogation rounds before the final police report is filed.