Champat Rai Rejects Embezzlement Allegations
Champat Rai, former general secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, has denied any wrongdoing in the alleged embezzlement of donations meant for the Ayodhya Ram Temple. He claims he was the one who exposed the scam and has been betrayed by those he trusted. Rai recently resigned from his position, stating that his "service in Ayodhya is complete" and that he could not continue living with the "stigma."
Rai and Mishra Questioned by SIT
Rai and former Trust member Anil Mishra were questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday and Thursday, respectively. The SIT was appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the donation theft. A decision on their resignations is likely to be taken by a two-thirds majority at the Trust’s meeting in Ayodhya on July 6.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Defends Rai
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya sought to defend Rai, saying he worked with immense dedication for the Ram Temple construction. Maurya asserted that action would be taken against those found guilty of donation theft, but did not specify any timeline or details.
Faizabad Bar Association Files Criminal Complaint
In a related development, the Faizabad Bar Association on Thursday filed a criminal complaint at the Ram Janmabhoomi Police Station against Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Trust administrator Gopal Rao. Local lawyers also staged a protest demanding further action.
On Monday, the association had resolved not to allow its members to represent the eight accused arrested in the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case. It warned that those defying the resolution would face a Rs 5 lakh penalty. Lawyers demanded that Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao — associated with the management of the Ram Temple but not named in the FIR — "must leave" Ayodhya within three days, failing which the temple town would be blockaded.
Eight Accused Arrested in Donation Theft Case
The eight accused — Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ram Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav — were associated with counting cash and valuables received as donations at the Ram Temple. They were arrested following registration of an FIR on submission of a preliminary report by the SIT.
