Members of the Faizabad Bar Association on Wednesday filed a police complaint seeking an FIR against former Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, trustee Anil Mishra and temple construction in-charge Gopal Rao in connection with the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Lawyers demand FIR
According to ANI, the lawyers submitted the complaint at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station, formally naming the three officials in the case. NDTV reported that the delegation had said it would move court with a petition seeking registration of the case if police did not name the trio in the FIR.
Audit lapses, police stance on Rai
An internal audit into the donation counting process flagged several lapses, including the failure to frisk personnel during cash counting, the failure to frisk staff entering and leaving the counting room, and non-preservation of CCTV footage for the mandated 180 days.
Police, however, have maintained that Champat Rai is currently being treated as a key witness in the case and not as an accused.
Resignations and trust bylaws
The development comes amid mounting scrutiny of the trust's leadership, with Rai and Mishra having resigned from their posts on June 27 after the donation theft case surfaced.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has called an emergency meeting of all trustees on July 6 to take a final decision on the resignations, NDTV reported, citing sources.
Under the trust's bylaws, a two-thirds majority of trustees is required to accept an office-bearer's resignation.
ALSO READ: Ram Temple Donation Scam: Ayodhya Police Question Champat Rai As Probe Gains Pace
NDTV reported that the bylaws state an office-bearer can only be relieved of their post and responsibilities but will remain a member of the trust for life, meaning Champat Rai and Mishra would be removed only from their official positions even if the resignations are accepted, while continuing as trust members.
Of the trust's 14 members, two have already resigned, leaving the opinion of the remaining 12 to be taken through voting at the meeting.
Champat Rai points to former driver
Sources told NDTV that Champat Rai has told close aides that Ramshankar Yadav, alias Tinnu Yadav, his former driver, was the key figure behind the alleged fraud, claiming Yadav had taken advantage of his trust to carry out the scam and had leaked information to a Samajwadi Party leader when he was about to get caught.
ALSO READ: Ram Temple Donation Theft Case: Ayodhya Lawyers Warn Members Of Rs 5 Lakh Fine For Defending Accused
Arrests so far
Tinnu Yadav is among eight people arrested by police in the donation theft case, along with Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava, according to the report.
The case came to light after allegations that employees handling Ram Mandir donations systematically siphoned off devotees' cash offerings by allegedly manipulating the counting and deposit process before the money reached official bank accounts.
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