Ayodhya Ram Mandir Donation theft: A major revelation has been made regarding the alleged misappropriation of donations to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. An investigation has revealed that six of the eight arrested accused have connections to Varanasi.
Published: July 1, 2026, 10:49 AM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/news/india/ram-mandir-donation-row-ayodhya-ram-temple-controversy-what-is-the-varanasi-connection-to-ram-mandir-donation-theft-how-were-six-of-eight-accused-recruited-updates-8462347/
Police personnel escort accused to a court in connection with the alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donation funds in Ayodhya (PTI)
Ayodhya Ram Mandir Donation Row: The case of theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is growing increasingly serious. Investigations have revealed that six of the eight accused arrested so far were employees of a private security agency in Varanasi, Sainik Security Services. This agency had sent people to the temple to count cash.
What did the director of Sainik Security say?
According to a Hindustan Times report, according to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ database, Sainik Security Services was established in Varanasi in December 2017. Gaurav Singh, owner and director of Sainik Security Services in Varanasi, stated that the agency was hired by the State Bank of India’s (SBI) Naya Ghat branch in Ayodhya to handle cash counting. This branch is one of three bank branches where the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had an account.
Read more:
Ram Mandir donation row: Champat Rai, Anil Mishra resign from Ram Temple Trust; 8 arrested
He further explained that SBI had requested 19 people for the cash counting team. His agency then hired these people and made them available to the bank. He clearly stated that the Ram Mandir Trust is not his client, but SBI. He said that usually the corporate office makes the demand, but in this case, the local branch had requested 19 employees. The branch asked us to include the 19 people already deployed by them in their team and make them available to the branch. We did so. The local branch had made the request. All these employees were paid approximately 20,000 rupees per month.
Meanwhile, SBI says it is cooperating with the SIT. It has provided banking services to the trust since the consecration ceremony in January 2024. A senior SBI official in Lucknow (who did not wish to be named) said that such hiring is usually done at the corporate or centralized level. According to the agency’s website, it operates in 15 states and its clients include several government companies.
Who all have been arrested?
People familiar with the matter said that documents submitted by the Ayodhya police in the court of Rajat Verma, Additional District Judge for Anti-Corruption, indicate that six of the eight accused were being paid by a Varanasi-based agency. Police have so far arrested eight individuals: Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Ramshankar Yadav “Tinnu,” Manish Yadav, Subhash Srivastava, Avinash Shukla, Ramashankar Mishra, and Karunesh Pandey. During searches, ₹79.85 lakh in cash was also recovered from the seven accused.
How the case began?
The controversy began on June 7, when Samajwadi Party leader Tej Narayan “Pawan” Pandey alleged that between ₹5 crore and ₹7.5 crore had gone missing from donations for the Ram Temple. Subsequently, on June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) at the request of the Ram Temple Trust. The SIT conducted an investigation from June 15 to 20 and reported prima facie irregularities in the counting and depositing of donations. Based on the investigation, eight individuals involved in the donation counting were arrested on June 26th. A case has been registered against the accused under sections related to theft, fraud, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and corruption. The investigation is currently ongoing. The SIT is investigating the extent of the alleged irregularities and the respective roles involved.
