Ram Temple Donation Case: Trust Reshuffle as Champat Rai Steps Down

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust accepted Champat Rai's resignation amid the alleged donation embezzlement investigation, appointed Krishna Mohan as interim general secretary, and announced plans to appoint a CEO.

By Mahima Katal

New Delhi, July 6: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday accepted the resignations of its General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra amid the ongoing investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple. Trustee Krishna Mohan has been appointed as the interim general secretary.

Champat Rai was the General Secretary of Ram Temple Trust and he resigned amid allegations of donation theft at temple.

The decisions were taken during a nearly three-hour meeting of the Trust, which also approved the formation of a three-member committee to identify a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the temple administration. The committee comprises retired judge Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and trustee Suresh Haware.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Trust treasurer Govind Giri described the alleged theft from the temple's donation boxes as a matter of "deep pain and embarrassment," saying the controversy had cast a shadow over a temple built after centuries of struggle and sacrifice.

While accepting Rai's resignation, Giri praised his contribution to the Ram temple movement and the construction of the temple, asserting that Rai remained "untainted" in his view.

According to Giri, Rai voluntarily stepped down, stating that it would not be appropriate for him to continue as general secretary until the investigation is completed and those responsible are identified. Giri added that senior trustee K. Parasaran had clarified that under the Trust's constitution, a resignation becomes effective once submitted, leaving the Trust with no option but to accept it.

Police have so far arrested eight individuals, most of whom were involved in handling and counting temple donations. No trustee has been named in the FIR.

Responding to allegations regarding missing donated articles, the Trust rejected the claims, stating that all 2,926 non-cash offerings received from devotees have been properly recorded in registers with date-wise entries and are subject to annual physical verification by an independent chartered accountant appointed as the internal auditor.

Giri said the Trust maintains detailed records of every donated article and asserted that all offerings remain safe. He added that anyone wishing to verify the records or inspect the donated items could approach the Trust office.

As interim general secretary, Krishna Mohan will oversee administrative reforms and measures to strengthen transparency within the Trust. He will also have the authority to constitute a team to assist him in carrying out these responsibilities.

The Trust will meet again on July 22, by which time it expects the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement to submit its final report. The findings will be discussed alongside the appointment of additional trustees.

Speaking after the meeting, Krishna Mohan said anyone found guilty would face appropriate punishment. He added that the trustees were committed to restoring public confidence and ensuring that devotees' offerings are managed in accordance with the Trust's objectives.

Giri also urged that all those involved in the alleged theft, including any larger conspirators, be identified and brought to justice. At the same time, he cautioned against attempts to use the controversy to defame the Ram Temple Trust or create divisions among devotees.

He appealed to devotees not to be influenced by what he described as "false propaganda" and reiterated that the Trust remains open to verifying records related to donated articles for anyone with concerns.

The Trust had advanced its scheduled July 11 meeting to Monday in view of the developments surrounding the donation embezzlement case. The meeting, held inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, was attended by seven of the Trust's nine permanent members, including chairman Nritya Gopal Das. Champat Rai and Anil Mishra did not attend. The meeting began at 3.15 pm and concluded around 6.30 pm.