Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 26 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday said that strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty in the alleged Ayodhya Ram Mandir donations embezzlement case.
Speaking to ANI, Pathak added that the government has taken the entire matter seriously and an FIR has already been registered.
"The government has taken the entire matter seriously. An FIR has been registered. Strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty," he said.
Reacting to the alleged Ayodhya Ram Mandir donations embezzlement case, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dinesh Sharma criticised the Opposition and asserted that they have "no issues left".
Speaking to ANI, he said, "... Even before the opposition could have said what they are saying, the trust itself filed its own FIR. An SIT was formed. Eight people were arrested... The opposition has no issues left. There couldn't have been a fairer and more transparent action than what the government is carrying out."
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on June 25 in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
According to officials, the case has been filed under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61 and 3(5), on the directions of the Uttar Pradesh Government.
Those who have been named in the FIR are: Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinnu Yadav, Manish Yadav and others. This comes after allegations were made by former SP MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, who claimed that between Rs 7 crore and Rs 7.5 crore in donations were misappropriated from the Ram Mandir.
Following the allegations, on June 14, the state government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged scam involving offerings made at the Ram Mandir, following a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust. (ANI)
