A three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has expanded its probe into alleged Ram Mandir donation theft to include potential land fraud [3].
The investigation targets the possible misappropriation of temple funds to purchase and resell properties at inflated prices. Because the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust manages significant public donations, any evidence of embezzlement or money laundering could trigger a major political and legal crisis in Uttar Pradesh.
Investigators are specifically focusing on a property in Ayodhya that was purchased for ₹2 crore [1] and subsequently sold to the Trust for ₹18.5 crore [2]. A whistle-blower, citing WhatsApp chats, said the transaction indicates a clear case of profiteering [3]. The SIT is also examining other properties located in Noida and Lucknow to determine if temple funds were used for similar real estate laundering schemes.
"The SIT will examine all land, house, and older temple purchases made by the Ram Mandir Trust to ascertain any irregularities," said a senior official of the Uttar Pradesh government [4].
The probe began after the Trust requested an investigation. "We have written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking a SIT probe into the alleged theft of donations," said a spokesperson for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust [5].
On June 28, the SIT was granted a 15-day extension to continue its work after an accused individual confessed to multi-crore real estate laundering [6]. The investigation is now moving toward a critical phase, with a decisive meeting scheduled for July 6 to determine the fate of senior officials [7].
“The property was purchased for ₹2 crore and later sold to the Trust for ₹18.5 crore, indicating a clear case of profiteering”
The shift from investigating simple theft to systemic land fraud suggests that investigators suspect a sophisticated money-laundering operation rather than isolated embezzlement. By scrutinizing properties in Noida and Lucknow alongside the Ayodhya site, the SIT is attempting to map a wider network of profiteering that may involve high-ranking officials within the Trust and external real estate brokers.
