Lucknow, 26 June

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra resigned from their posts on Friday on "moral grounds," following allegations of embezzlement of donations made to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The trust manages the temple. The resignations came after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered into the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the temple, on the directions of the Uttar Pradesh government.

The case has been filed under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61 and 3(5). Those named in the FIR include Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinnu Yadav and Manish Yadav, among others.

According to the FIR, the accused were involved in counting cash and valuables donated by devotees at the temple, and allegedly misappropriated funds collected through donation boxes installed on the temple premises, The Hindu reported.

Following the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter, acting on a request from the trust itself, which had sought an investigation into the claims.

The SIT, headed by Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, examined donation collection, counting and storage procedures at the temple, scrutinised financial records, and recorded statements from nearly 150 people associated with the temple administration.

Officials said the SIT's preliminary report has recommended administrative reforms to improve transparency and accountability in the handling of donations, though its full contents have not been made public.