Ram Mandir donation theft: Cops probe bribe-for-job angle
What's the story
The Ayodhya Police have widened their probe into the alleged donation theft at the Ram Mandir. Officers are looking into allegations that bribes were paid for appointments to various positions at the temple establishment. The new angle surfaced during the questioning of Avinash Shukla, one of the eight arrested accused in the donation theft case. Per TOI, Shukla's statements led investigators to examine the role of a Trust member whose name has surfaced repeatedly during questioning.
Recruitment probe
Probe into organized recruitment racket
Earlier reports claimed that around 125 staff members were hired on temple trustee Anil Mishra's recommendation. The police are now looking into whether an organized recruitment racket was functioning under the guise of temple appointments. So far, no appointment letters or formal service agreements have been found for many recruited individuals, sources told India Today, prompting officials to take a second look at the recruitment process and identify the official under whose direction the appointments were allegedly made.
Arrests made
Alleged financial irregularities
The police are also looking at the bank accounts and financial transactions of those recruited and others allegedly involved in the recruitment racket. They are trying to trace any money exchanged before or after appointments through banking records. The alleged financial irregularities came to light after the SIT submitted its preliminary findings, leading to an FIR being registered on June 25. Eight accused have been arrested so far, with nearly ₹80 lakh in cash and foreign currency recovered from six.
Rai
Champat Rai points finger at ex-driver
According to NDTV sources, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai told his close aides that Tinnu Yadav, his former driver, is the key figure behind the entire scam. "Tinnu Yadav took advantage of his trust to carry out the fraud," Rai alleged. According to Rai, when Tinnu was about to get caught, he leaked information to a Samajwadi leader. The donation row had gained momentum when SP chief Akhilesh Yadav publicly alleged that crores were missing.