“Deeply Hurt by Ram Temple Donation Theft”: RSS Calls for Severe Punishment

• Indrajit Saluja

NEW DELHI (TIP): The RSS, which led the Ram Janmabhoomi movement for three decades, today broke silence on the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation row, calling the incident “highly condemnable and exceptional”, one that has “pained and angered everyone”.
In a statement, the RSS second in command, Dattatreya Hosabale, while calling for severe punishment against anyone found guilty and urging the Ram Mandir Trust to do what it takes to restore the lost faith of Hindus whose sentiments have been hurt, also appealed to the community to foil the attempt of “anti-national forces to exploit the temple theft incident”.

“The RSS calls upon the entire Hindu society to display necessary patience and restraint during this difficult moment and thwart the conspiracies of anti-Hindu and anti-national forces seeking to malign the Hindu dharma and society by exploiting this unfortunate incident,” Hosabale said.

He said the grand temple constructed at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi had become a center of reverence, faith and devotion for the entire Hindu society, owing to the struggles of generations and the dedication, sacrifice and martyrdom of crores of Rambhakts (devotees).

“The unfortunate incident of theft from the donation boxes kept at the Shri Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya has deeply hurt the sentiments and faith of the entire society and devotees; we are all extremely pained and angered by this event,” said the RSS general secretary.

The statement comes ahead of the Ram Mandir Trust’s July 6 meeting where the fate of Trust general secretary Champat Rai and his aide Anil Mishra will be sealed.

The Sangh, in its first official remarks on the matter, has signaled to the Trust to do whatever it takes in order that the faith of Hindus is restored.

“It is natural for the entire Hindu society, including the RSS, to expect the Trust to treat this highly condemnable incident as an extraordinary matter and take effective steps to rectify all shortcomings in the temple management and operations. This is crucial to ensure that the faith and reverence of crores of Ram devotees in the Ayodhya temple remain unbroken and steadfast,” Hosabale said.

He told the Trust — dominated by its affiliate VHP which was at the forefront of the Temple movement — to end the current state of confusion and uncertainty.

“In this regard, we expect the temple management and the government-appointed SIT to take all necessary initiatives. We are confident that through proper financial management, flawless and transparent operational systems, and an atmosphere imbued with purity, sanctity and true dharmikta, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will continue to strengthen the faith and trust of the Hindu society,” Hosabale said.

The top RSS functionary said it was at the request of the Trust that the UP Government constituted the SIT and initiated legal proceedings based on its recommendations.

“It is essential to ensure that anyone found guilty after the investigation faces severe punishment,” Hosabale said as the SIT probe revealed several luxury properties in the name of the eight persons named as accused in the FIR registered on June 25 and arrested.

The real issue at hand is what the Trust will do with Rai and Mishra, who put in their resignations recently. The RSS, for its part, has indicated to the Trust today that the guilty should not go unpunished.

Rai, VHP’s international vice-president, who oversaw the temple affairs, remains in the eye of the storm.

RSS sources said the law would take its course in the matter of removal or continuation of the Trust members.

Under the Trust bylaws, a member of the Trust can be removed if a two-thirds of the Trust votes for the move. Currently two of the 14 trustees have resigned. The bylaws further provide for acceptance of the resignation of Trust members and their removal from the position they held. However, the bylaws say all members will continue to be trustees for life.

It remains to be seen how the Trust members negotiate the latter provision (Trust officials can resign but will stay trustees for life) in the case of Rai and Mishra.

The RSS today reacted 20 days after UP CM Yogi Adityanath ordered the establishment of an SIT in the matter.

The Sangh had so far been distancing itself from the issue, letting its affiliate dealing with issues of faith — the VHP — do the fielding through international president Alok Kumar.
The Backgrounder
In June 2026, a massive financial corruption scandal rocked the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya after investigations revealed that a network of internal staff members systematically siphoned off crores of rupees in currency and valuables. The case triggered immense public outrage, a high-stakes political storm, and the dramatic resignation of top temple management figures. Here is the complete story of how the heist was planned, executed, and ultimately exposed.1. How the Theft Was Discovered. The controversy first escalated publicly on June 7, 2026, when Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and former SP MLA Pawan Pandey alleged that ₹7 crore to ₹7.5 crore in temple donations had gone missing, and that valuable gold and silver items had been replaced with counterfeits.

SIT: Following the public uproar, the Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath formed a 3-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 13 to investigate fraud.

The Modus Operandi & Loopholes.
The temple draws nearly 70,000 to 100,000 devotees daily, managing 35 donation boxes. The cash offerings, averaging ₹8 lakh to ₹13 lakh per day (and surging past ₹50 lakh on special days), were handled in a dedicated room by a team of 14 people. The SIT review of 45 days of CCTV footage (from April 27 to June 5) exposed that the accused orchestrated around 70 continuous thefts. Their methods included:
Exploiting CCTV Gaps: The thieves originally targeted known blind spots in the counting room.
Open Theft: Once they realized the temple’s CCTV control room was not being actively monitored, they began pocketing cash in front of cameras.
Smuggling Tranches: Tellers stuffed bundles of high-value notes into their clothes, underwear, and socks.
The Washroom Trick: To avoid being searched, they temporarily stashed bundles of stolen cash inside temple washrooms, later retrieving and sneaking them off premises in small batches.

The Kumbh Mela Surge: The largest volume of theft occurred during the Kumbh Mela in early 2025. The influx of massive crowds and chaotic piles of cash provided the perfect cover for the group to steal millions.

Arrests and Recoveries: An official FIR was filed on June 25, 2026, leading to the arrest of eight accused individuals. Investigators have so far recovered approximately ₹80 lakh in cash, alongside foreign currency (including US dollars) and gold.

The primary individuals arrested include Avinash Shukla: Yielded the highest recovery of over ₹20.3 lakh and $1,121 USD hidden inside blankets at a yoga center. Anukalp Mishra & Lavkush Mishra-a brother-in-law duo working as outsourced bank personnel who reportedly stole the largest aggregate sum. They used the funds to aggressively purchase real estate, built a lavish village farmhouse, and acquired motorcycles and cars. Ramshankar Yadav (alias Tinnu Yadav)- the personal driver for the Trust’s general secretary. He allegedly possessed one of the duplicate keys to the counting room cash boxes. Subhash Srivastava, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, and Manish Kumar Yadav: Co-conspirators in charge of counting or guarding cash.

Collusion and Institutional Fallout: The probe revealed deep systemic issues. The State Bank of India (SBI) managed the collection via an outsourced private agency. Reports showed that SBI had previously flagged cash-counting staff irregularities to the Trust, but senior officials failed to act.

Resignations: Due to the monumental embarrassment and allegations of complete administrative negligence, high-profile leaders of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, including General Secretary Champat Rai and Trustee Anil Mishra, resigned from their posts in late June 2026.

The SIT’s deadline has been extended to July 15, 2026, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department stepping in to trace the extensive money trail and illegal properties purchased by the conspirators.

The shocked nation waits to know more about one of the most embarrassing heists in the history of Hindu temples. Will Modi government act?
(With input from agencies, including Tribune News Service/ Aditi Tandon)