A Special Investigation Team has cleared former Ram Temple trust officials Champat Rai and Anil Mishra of any wrongdoing in a donation theft case [1, 2].
The decision resolves allegations of financial irregularities involving the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, a body central to the construction of the temple in Ayodhya.
The Uttar Pradesh Home Department handed over the final report from the SIT on Monday [1, 2]. The investigation focused on allegations that funds donated for the temple project had been misappropriated or stolen.
Champat Rai previously served as the general secretary of the trust, while Anil Mishra was a member of the trust [1, 2]. The SIT concluded that there was no evidence of irregularities or wrongdoing by either official during their tenure [1, 2].
Officials in Ayodhya have managed massive influxes of public donations since the project began. The investigation sought to determine if internal controls failed or if funds were diverted, a process that concluded with the clean chit for both men [1, 2].
Neither Rai nor Mishra has issued a public statement following the release of the report. The findings effectively close the probe into their specific roles in the alleged theft [1, 2].
“The SIT found no evidence of wrongdoing or irregularities by the two officials.”
The exoneration of high-ranking former officials removes a significant legal cloud over the financial administration of the Ram Temple project. By clearing the general secretary and a trust member, the SIT report suggests that the alleged theft did not stem from the top leadership of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, potentially shifting focus away from internal administrative corruption.
