New Delhi: Former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai has denied allegations of embezzlement related to the alleged misappropriation of offerings at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, asserting that he neither committed any fraud nor attempted to conceal the matter.
According to sources, Champat Rai told his close associates that it was he who first brought the alleged irregularities to light. He also reportedly said that the people he had trusted had betrayed him and that his service in Ayodhya had come to an end. Rai is understood to have stated that he did not wish to continue working under the shadow of the controversy.
Champat Rai recently resigned as the Trust’s General Secretary. As part of the ongoing investigation, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) questioned him on Sunday, while former Trust member Anil Mishra was questioned on Thursday. The resignations of both leaders are expected to be considered at the Trust’s meeting in Ayodhya on July 6, where a two-thirds majority will be required to accept them.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya defended Champat Rai, saying he had worked with dedication for the construction of the Ram Mandir. Maurya, however, added that strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty in the alleged theft of temple offerings.
In a fresh development, the Faizabad Bar Association on Thursday lodged a criminal complaint at the Ram Janmabhoomi Police Station against Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Trust administrator Gopal Rao. Lawyers also staged a protest, demanding stricter action in the case.
Earlier this week, the Bar Association had passed a resolution declaring that none of its members would represent the eight accused arrested in the alleged donation embezzlement case. It warned that any lawyer violating the decision would face a penalty of ₹5 lakh.
The lawyers have also demanded that Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao—whose names do not appear in the FIR but who were associated with the temple administration—leave Ayodhya within three days. They warned that if their demand is not met, they would call for an Ayodhya bandh.
So far, eight accused—Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ram Shankar Mishra, Subhash Shrivastava, and Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav—have been arrested after an FIR was registered on the basis of the SIT’s preliminary findings into the alleged embezzlement of cash and valuables offered at the Ram Mandir.
