Ram Temple Trust halts outsourced hiring after donation theft arrests
Synopsis
Since eight people were arrested over alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations in Ayodhya, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has stopped hiring outsourced staff entirely. The probe is now closing in on SBI branch officials and former trustee Anil Mishra — raising hard questions about who really oversaw the donation-counting process.
Key Takeaways
The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has not hired any new outsourced employee since the donation theft controversy and arrest of eight accused .
Outsourced staff were originally recruited during the Mahakumbh surge and were limited to straightening and bundling currency notes — not counting cash.
Actual donation counting was performed by SBI employees using high-tech currency counting machines that sorted denominations and detected counterfeits.
Subhash Srivastava , the counting-in-charge, and former Trustee Anil Mishra — who signed the MoU with SBI — are both under scrutiny.
A former SBI branch manager now posted outside Ayodhya is reportedly on the police's radar and may be questioned soon.
The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has not hired any new outsourced employee since a controversy erupted over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, sources said on Thursday, 9 July. The freeze on fresh recruitment follows the arrest of eight accused in connection with the alleged theft of temple donations.
How Outsourced Staff Were Originally Recruited
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Trust had engaged staff through an outsourcing agency following a surge in devotees during the Mahakumbh last year. These workers were brought in primarily as housekeeping personnel and were not assigned any cash-counting responsibilities.
Bank sources said the outsourced workers were reportedly tasked only with straightening crumpled currency notes and arranging them into proper bundles — a preparatory step before formal counting. The actual counting was carried out exclusively by State Bank of India (SBI) employees using high-tech currency counting machines capable of sorting mixed denominations — including ₹500, ₹200, and ₹100 notes — while simultaneously detecting counterfeit currency.
SBI Branch Under Scrutiny
The Ram Temple Trust's primary bank account is held at an SBI branch in Ayodhya, which is now at the centre of the investigation. Investigators are examining the possible role of bank officials in the alleged embezzlement. Police are expected to question the branch manager and record his statement as part of the ongoing probe.
Additionally, a former SBI manager — currently posted at a branch outside Ayodhya — has reportedly come under the Ayodhya Police's radar. He, along with other bank employees involved in the donation-counting process, may be questioned shortly, according to sources.
Key Individuals in the Probe
Subhash Srivastava, the counting-in-charge who maintained records related to the donation box counting process, was held accountable for oversight failures. Sources confirmed he was not an SBI employee. He is among those under scrutiny alongside former Trustee Anil Mishra.
Mishra, who reportedly signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the bank governing the donation-counting arrangement, may have his statement recorded later this week, sources said.
What Happens Next
The investigation is widening, with police set to question both serving and former bank officials. The Trust's decision to halt fresh outsourced recruitment signals a tightening of internal controls as the probe progresses. How accountability is eventually assigned — between the Trust, the outsourcing agency, and bank personnel — is expected to shape reforms in the management of temple donations going forward.
Point of View
Not a structural reform. The more revealing detail is the division of labour: outsourced workers only flattened notes, yet eight people stand arrested. That points the investigation squarely at SBI personnel and Trust officials who controlled the actual counting — and raises the question of why oversight mechanisms failed despite the use of high-tech currency machines. Former trustee Anil Mishra's MoU with the bank deserves particular scrutiny; the terms of that agreement will likely determine where criminal liability ultimately lands.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the Ram Temple Trust stopped hiring outsourced employees?
The Trust has not recruited any new outsourced staff since a controversy erupted over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the subsequent arrest of eight accused. The hiring freeze reflects tightened internal controls amid the ongoing investigation.
What was the role of outsourced workers at the Ram Temple?
Outsourced staff were responsible only for straightening crumpled currency notes and arranging them into bundles before formal counting. They were not assigned the task of counting cash, which was carried out exclusively by SBI bank employees using currency counting machines.
Who is under investigation in the Ram Temple donation theft case?
Investigators are examining the possible role of SBI branch officials in Ayodhya, a former SBI manager now posted elsewhere, counting-in-charge Subhash Srivastava, and former Ram Temple Trustee Anil Mishra, who signed the MoU with the bank governing the donation-counting process.
What is Anil Mishra's connection to the Ram Temple donation case?
Anil Mishra is a former Ram Temple Trustee who reportedly signed the Memorandum of Understanding with SBI for the donation-counting arrangement. He was held accountable for oversight failures and may have his statement recorded by police later this week.
How were temple donations counted at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya?
Donations were counted by SBI employees using high-tech currency counting machines that could automatically sort mixed denominations — including ₹500, ₹200, and ₹100 notes — and detect counterfeit currency. Outsourced workers only prepared the notes for counting by flattening and organising them.
