The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is scheduled to hold a pivotal meeting on Monday, with the agenda dominated by the ongoing investigation into alleged embezzlement of donations and the fate of resignations submitted by Trust general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, according to sources.
Meeting Details and Key Participants
The meeting will take place at the Mani Ram Chhawni monastery, the residence of Trust president Nritya Gopal Das. Treasurer Govind Dev Giri has called for the attendance of all regular and ex-officio members. A preliminary report from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the alleged theft of donations, along with discussions on establishing the post of a chief executive officer (CEO), are part of the official agenda, sources confirmed.
Trust president Nritya Gopal Das, who was recently hospitalised, and senior trustee K Parasaran, unable to travel due to age-related health issues, are expected to participate via video conference.
Resignations and Allegations
The Trust is likely to deliberate on the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, both of whom stepped down after being accused in the embezzlement case. The allegations involve misappropriation of funds collected for the Ram temple construction.
Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Alok Kumar has written to the investigating officer, demanding a probe into the allegations made by several Opposition leaders. In a letter addressed to Ayodhya DSP Ashutosh Tiwari, Kumar highlighted statements from Samajwadi Party national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, and AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who have alleged that the embezzlement involves an amount exceeding Rs 20,000 crore.
VHP Demands Accountability from Opposition Leaders
“In order to ensure a fair, comprehensive and impartial investigation, it would be appropriate to require the attendance of the aforesaid persons under the applicable provisions of law, or otherwise record their statements, so that they may disclose the factual basis of the allegations made by them, the source of their information, and all documents or other material in their possession supporting such allegations,” Kumar stated in the letter.
He added that if the investigation finds the leaders made allegations without factual basis or supporting material, the investigating agency may consider taking permissible legal action. “Nobody can be permitted to make wild allegations that tend to create and promote feelings of hatred, ill will and enmity and get away with it,” he said.
Specific Allegations by Opposition Leaders
AAP MP Sanjay Singh had alleged the theft of more than Rs 200 crore and accused over 50 employees of involvement. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi had stated that money was collected not only from big corporate houses but also from the poor during the nationwide fundraising drive for the temple. “People, especially women and the poor, have given (donations) from their savings. If you collected it, it’s your responsibility to keep it safe,” she said on June 28 in Wayanad.
