Ram Mandir Donation Theft: Cash Hidden in Bathroom, CCTV Captured 70 Thefts in Just 40 Days

Lucknow: An Special Investigation Team (SIT) has confirmed that donations were stolen 70 times from the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi  Temple in Ayodhya. The preliminary investigation report of the SIT constituted by the government to investigate this matter has revealed many secrets. According to the report, offerings worth crores of rupees have been stolen.

What is there in the video?

CCTV footage shows 70 instances of offerings being stolen during the counting of offerings between April 27 and June 5, 2026. Footage has also been found of some of the counting staff hiding the notes. The report recommends filing an FIR against six accused and raises serious questions about the monitoring system of TRSAT and the bank.

On June 13, the government had constituted a three-member SIT headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant to investigate the offering theft case.

The SIT began its preliminary investigation on June 15 and submitted its preliminary report to the government a week later. This report has been released for the first time.

What is there in the report?

The report said that offerings were being stolen for a long time by taking advantage of serious flaws in the security and monitoring system during the counting process of cash offerings.

The total amount of theft could not be accurately estimated due to the lack of footage from before the investigation period. The report states that cash collected from temple hundis was brought to the counting room in the presence of trust and bank representatives.

Instead of maintaining hundi-wise records and conducting separate calculations, the amounts of the hundis were often mixed up in advance. The tracking system for cash boxes was also ineffective, making accountability difficult.

What does the footage reveal?

CCTV footage from April 27 to June 5 of this year showed several employees repeatedly hiding bundles of currency notes and loose notes in clothes, pockets, shoes, and other places. In several instances, other employees were seen assisting them in the theft.

According to the investigation report, the involvement of Avinash Shukla, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Anukul Mishra, Lavkush Mishra and Ram Shankar Mishra has come to light in the theft.

It has been recommended to register an FIR against them under sections of theft, possession of stolen property, conspiracy and several other sections.

How much amount has been recovered?

In the report, the SIT stated that before the investigation began, the trust had recovered approximately Rs 78.94 lakh from employees. In addition, foreign currency, some valuables, and Rs 2.25 lakh were recovered from a toilet adjacent to the counting room.

They are also said to be related to the same employees whose roles were revealed in the CCTV footage. A check of the bank accounts of these employees' family members revealed large cash deposits, fixed deposits, and other financial transactions.