If the SBI had already suspected irregularities at the temple, and recommended the removal of the counting staff months ago, why were the employees allowed to continue handling crores of rupees in devotees’ offerings? – Biswajeet Banerjee
The Special Investigation Team probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple on Monday reached the State Bank of India’s Ayodhya Dham branch, intensifying scrutiny on whether the bank had prior knowledge of the alleged theft and failed to act in time.
Investigators questioned senior SBI officials, including the branch manager, and obtained bank statements of seven of the eight arrested accused. The SIT is now examining whether the bank was aware of irregularities in the donation counting process months before the scam came to light and, if so, why the suspected staff were not removed.
The questions have gained significance after sources revealed that the SBI had flagged possible theft in the donation counting process nearly three months ago and had recommended the removal of the staff engaged in counting temple offerings.
According to sources, six of the eight arrested accused were outsourced personnel working under an arrangement managed by SBI. The six, identified as Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Ramashankar Mishra, Avnish and Karunesh Shukla, were not employees of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust but were on the payroll of an outsourcing agency engaged by the bank.
“They were given uniforms and paid through SBI’s outsourcing system. They were deployed for counting donations and transporting the cash to the bank,” a source told Moneycontrol on Monday.
The remaining two accused, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu and Subhash Srivastava, were not directly involved in the counting of donations but were allegedly part of the wider conspiracy and are under investigation for their roles in the diversion of funds.
Sources said the alleged scam first came to light not through any internal audit or banking mechanism but because of the alertness of a security guard posted at the temple premises. During one of the counting sessions, a member of the counting staff allegedly tried to conceal cash inside a toilet. The suspicious movement was noticed by the guard, triggering a chain of events that eventually exposed the alleged embezzlement.
The revelation has raised uncomfortable questions for both the temple administration and the bank. If the SBI had already suspected irregularities and recommended the removal of the counting staff months ago, why were the employees allowed to continue handling crores of rupees in devotees’ offerings?
Investigators are also examining the role of two SBI employees, Ratnesh and Gagandeep, who supervised the outsourced workers during the counting process. Both were regular bank employees and were present in the counting rooms.
Sources claimed investigators have gathered evidence suggesting their possible involvement in the alleged theft. Their statements have been recorded and action against them could follow depending on the findings of the probe.
The investigation has also turned towards the recruitment process of the counting staff. Sources said some of the appointments were made on recommendations from influential persons linked to the temple trust and without proper police verification.
The SIT on Sunday questioned former trust general secretary Champat Rai, former trustee Anil Mishra and trust member Gopal Rao regarding the appointment of the counting staff and the handling of temple donations. Their statements have been recorded as investigators attempt to determine whether repeated warnings about the staff were ignored.
The controversy has already led to significant fallout within the trust, with Champat Rai and Anil Mishra stepping down from their positions.
Police teams are now tracing the money trail and analysing the bank accounts of the accused to determine whether the alleged theft was an isolated act by a few employees or part of a larger and organised operation.
With the probe reaching the doors of SBI, the investigation has moved beyond the question of who stole from the temple donation boxes. It is now also about who knew, who failed to act and whether early warnings were ignored while devotees’ offerings continued to disappear. – MoneyControl, 29 June 2026
› Biswajeet Banerjee is an independent journalist based in Lucknow.
Who ‘Stole’ What From Ram Lalla’s Abode – The Tribune – Chandugarh – July 1, 2026
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of donations from the Ram Mandir has found that the largest diversion of cash allegedly took place during the 2025 Kumbh Mela, when offerings at the temple witnessed a sharp surge.
Police have arrested eight accused, Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, alleging they conspired to siphon off cash from the temple’s donation boxes.
Investigators claim the brother-in-law duo of Lav Kush Mishra and Anukalp Mishra allegedly stole the largest share and invested the proceeds in properties. More than half a dozen properties linked to the duo have been traced, while the Income Tax Department has been asked to examine their financial transactions. Police also plan to seek an Enforcement Directorate probe into the alleged money trail.
According to investigators, the highest cash recovery was linked to accused Avinash Shukla. Police said Rs 89 lakh was recovered based on information provided by him before an FIR was registered, while around Rs 5 lakh was seized from a yoga centre linked to his family during a raid.
Police also recovered Rs 12 lakh allegedly hidden under cow dung at Lav Kush Mishra’s ancestral home. Investigators suspect Mishra, who reportedly earned about Rs 12,000 a month, used embezzled money to build a Rs 25-lakh house in Ayodhya in his wife’s name. His bank accounts and possible benami assets are being examined.
Around Rs 36 lakh was reportedly recovered from the residence of Manish Kumar Yadav, while cash, jewellery and property documents were seized from the house of Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav.
The probe has also brought some employees of the State Bank of India (SBI) under scrutiny. SBI oversees the counting of temple donations through a private agency. The cash from four donation boxes is counted by a 14-member team comprising 11 bank personnel and three representatives of the temple trust.
Investigators suspect the accused exploited access to the counting room and allegedly siphoned off cash in collusion with insiders. Police say bank account analysis has revealed transactions disproportionate to the accused’s known sources of income. The investigation is under way. – The Tribune, 1 July 2026
Filed under: india | Tagged: criminal conspiracy, devotees' offerings, ram temple donation scam, special investigation team, state bank of india | Comments Off on Ram Temple Donation Scam: Did the SBI suspect something three months ago? – Biswajeet Banerjee
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