Alok Kumar, chief of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) International, said there was no pressure on Champat Rai to resign from the Ram Temple trust.
The statement follows allegations that donations worth thousands of crores [1] intended for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya were stolen. The scandal has shaken the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust managing the temple, and led to calls for high-level accountability.
Kumar called for a fair and transparent investigation into the missing funds. He said the goal must be to ensure that no one is shielded from the probe. To ensure the integrity of the process, Kumar urged authorities to assign the best and most capable officers to the case [3].
The investigation has already seen significant action, with eight people arrested in connection with the donation-theft row [2]. Kumar previously requested the filing of first-information reports and the establishment of a fast-track court to expedite the legal proceedings [3].
While the Ram Temple trust confirmed Champat Rai's resignation on June 28, 2026 [2], Kumar said the departure was not the result of external pressure. He said a thorough probe is the only way to resolve the controversy and maintain public trust in the temple's administration.
"We must ensure that no one is shielded and that a fair, transparent probe is conducted," Kumar said [2].
“There was not pressure on Champat Rai to resign.”
The resignation of a high-profile figure like Champat Rai, combined with the arrest of eight individuals, suggests a systemic failure in the financial oversight of the Ram Temple trust. Because the temple is a focal point of national and religious significance in India, the demand for a 'transparent probe' reflects a need to prevent the scandal from damaging the perceived sanctity and legitimacy of the project's administration.
