A primary school teacher, a former car mechanic, a retired bank employee and a trusted aide of a senior Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust functionary — people from diverse backgrounds are among the eight arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Police sources alleged that the accused, mostly hired as contract workers through an outsourcing agency, exploited their roles in the temple’s donation management system to siphon off cash offerings over a period of time. Investigators are examining their financial transactions, assets and individual roles in the alleged conspiracy.
Among those arrested is primary school teacher Avinash Shukla, who was assigned to cash reconciliation during donation-counting sessions. The sources claimed more than Rs 20 lakh in cash, foreign currency and jewellery were recovered from premises linked to him, the largest seizure among the accused.
During questioning, he described how currency notes were allegedly removed from the counting centre by taking advantage of CCTV blind spots and temporarily hiding the cash inside washrooms. It is claimed that he had also been residing at a yoga centre in Ayodhya for several years, they said.
Another accused, Anukalp Mishra, was employed as a contract worker in the temple’s donation-counting unit through the outsourcing agency. A resident of Basawan village in Ayodhya’s Milkipur area, he reportedly earned around Rs 15,000 a month.
Police are scrutinising assets allegedly acquired by him, including a house valued at around Rs 65 lakh, a farmhouse in his native village, a premium motorcycle and a booked sport utility vehicle, which they suspect are disproportionate to his known income, the sources claimed.
Around Rs 16.8 lakh in cash was allegedly recovered during searches linked to Anukalp Mishra. Police are also examining his reported family relationship with temple trust member Anil Mishra and his close association with co-accused and brother-in-law Lavkush Mishra.
Lavkush Mishra, also recruited through the outsourcing agency for donation counting, had earlier worked as an automobile mechanic, earning about Rs 10,000-12,000 a month. A resident of Minapur Fagauli village, he is reported to have studied up to Class 12.
Sources alleged that he participated in diverting donations. The police claimed to have recovered around Rs 14.25 lakh in cash during the investigation against him.
Ramshankar Mishra, another contract employee engaged in donation counting, allegedly handled cash inside the secure counting room and was part of the conspiracy to siphon donations.
Police sources said about Rs 7.3 lakh in cash was recovered during searches linked to him. Authorities have disclosed little about his personal background beyond his role in the counting operations.
The sources have described Ramshankar Yadav, popularly known as Tinnu Yadav, as one of the principal figures in the alleged conspiracy.
Initially appointed as the personal driver of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, he later became a trusted aide associated with temple administration and VIP management.
Police alleged that he had unauthorised access to the keys of the donation-counting room and donation boxes, enabling manipulation of the counting process. The police are also analysing recovered WhatsApp conversations.
Co-accused Manish Kumar Yadav, who worked in the temple’s donation-counting team, is reported to be Tinnu Yadav’s nephew.
Police sources alleged that he secured the assignment through family connections and was involved in handling cash inside the counting room. The police said cash was recovered during searches linked to him and his financial transactions are under scrutiny.
Subhash Chandra Srivastava, a retired bank employee, had been engaged by the temple trust to supervise donation counting at the Pilgrim Facility Centre. Bringing banking experience to the operation, he oversaw counting shifts and has also been identified in reports as a local RSS functionary. Police sources alleged that he failed to prevent irregularities and played a role in facilitating the alleged embezzlement.
Karunesh Pandey, another contract employee hired through the outsourcing agency, was assigned to opening donation boxes, sorting and counting cash. Police sources alleged that he too participated in the conspiracy to siphon funds and claimed to have recovered more than Rs 18 lakh in cash during searches linked to him.
