Champat Rai denies approving Ram Temple trust's cash-counting SoP
What's the story
Champat Rai, the recently ousted general secretary of the Ram Temple trust, has denied approving a 2025 document that detailed procedures for counting temple donations. According to HT, the document, which bore the signatures of former trust member Anil Mishra and then State Bank of India (SBI) branch manager Govind Mishra, was disowned by Rai in a one-page Hindi submission to a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Signature dispute
Rai disowns document detailing cash counting process
Rai said he personally signed every page of a February 9, 2024 agreement with SBI for security measures such as CCTV cameras and an iron-barred door at the counting room. However, he claimed to have no knowledge of the February 6, 2025 agreement bearing the signatures of Mishra and Govind Mishra, the manager of SBI's Naya Ghat branch, where the trust had an account. "I absolutely do not agree with this letter. I reject it," Rai said
Account
'Why were my signatures not obtained on this guideline letter'
He claimed that he came to know about it only on June 13, 2026, from the accounts office. He said the accounts office provided all documents related to counting, but his signature was missing. "On all agreements made...August 2020 to June 2026, there are only signatures of myself and the chief official of the respective second party. Why were my signatures not obtained on this guideline letter? If I was not in Ayodhya, then they should have waited," he stated.
Security lapse
Rai blames SBI for lax security protocols
Rai also blamed SBI for not enforcing strict chest room protocols, such as frisking and uniform regulations. "The bank did not enforce this, and despite being written in the guideline letter, it was not implemented. The clothes initially provided by the bank had pockets," he said. The former general secretary also accused the bank of selecting youth for counting tasks and assigning them as housekeeping staff, which he deemed inappropriate.
Trust response
Temple trust accepts resignations of Rai, Anil Mishra
The Ram Temple trust on Monday accepted the resignations of Rai and Mishra amid allegations of donation theft. The trust also removed administrator Gopal Rao and formed a three-member panel to appoint a new CEO. This comes after allegations surfaced last month that donations worth ₹5 crore to ₹7.5 crore were siphoned off during counting processes at the temple.
Public statement
Rai to respond to allegations after SIT report
After weeks of silence, Rai broke silence on the theft on Tuesday. "Since June 7, 2026, various types of discussions/rumors have been circulating regarding the theft...Personally many people have leveled baseless allegations against me. I have maintained silence." He assured that once the final report of the SIT is released, "I will give my point-by-point reply in proper sequence to all the points being spread. The complete truth will come to light."