VHP leader Champat Rai, who stepped down as general secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust following allegations of theft in temple donations, has finally spoken out on the controversy.
In a handwritten letter posted on X, Rai explained that he had held back from commenting “as per the wishes of the trust” while a Special Investigation Team looked into the matter.
“There has been much speculation regarding the theft that occurred during the counting of donations from the donation box at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple complex since June 6, 2026, and I have personally faced various unfair allegations. I chose to remain silent because, as per the wishes of the Trust, an SIT (Special Investigation Team) submitted its preliminary report for verification. That report has now been made public,” he wrote in Hindi.
He asked people to hold off on drawing conclusions until the SIT’s final findings are out. “Although the report was initially confidential, everyone should wait for the SIT’s final decision. After the investigation is completed, appropriate responses should be given to all the misinformation and misconceptions being spread. The truth will come out in due course,” he said.
Reflecting on his decades of service, Rai added, “I have been serving in Ayodhya through the organisation since October 1991. My public life of about 45 years has always been like an open book, wherever I have worked. I respectfully bow before the truth.”
His comments come days after the Trust, at an extended meeting on Monday, accepted the resignations of both Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, swiftly naming retired Indian Forest Service officer Krishna Mohan as interim general secretary to oversee the temple’s daily affairs.
Announcing the decisions afterwards, Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri called the theft of offerings “shameful” and stressed the need for accountability and administrative reform. He said the episode had deeply hurt both the Trust and devotees of Lord Ram, prompting members to reflect seriously on what had happened.
“Champat Rai himself decided to step down, reasoning that it would be inappropriate for him to remain in the post until the accused in the theft case were arrested and punished,” Giri said.
He explained that senior trustee K. Parasaran had pointed to the Trust’s constitution, which requires that a resignation be accepted the moment it is submitted. “It was on this ground that the resignations of both Champat Rai and Anil Mishra were accepted,” Giri added, while also acknowledging Rai’s long-standing contribution to the Trust since its formation and the start of temple construction.
Addressing separate rumours doing the rounds on social media, Giri dismissed claims that religious artefacts had gone missing from the temple, calling them misleading. He said the Trust keeps a registered record of roughly 2,800 religious and historical items, including the Ramayan and the Charan Paduka, or sacred footwear.
The reshuffle marks a turning point in a controversy that has rattled public confidence in the running of one of India’s most revered religious sites. The meeting, chaired by Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and attended by trustees including Vishwaprasannatirth and Swami Parmanand Giri, was convened specifically to deal with the fallout from the donation embezzlement probe.
Krishna Mohan, who had lodged the original complaint that led to an FIR being filed, now takes interim charge of the Trust’s operations.
The controversy first came to light in June, when discrepancies emerged during the counting of donations. A Special Investigation Team set up by the Uttar Pradesh government carried out a preliminary probe and recommended action, leading to an FIR being registered on 25 June 2026 at Ram Janmabhoomi police station, based on Krishna Mohan’s complaint. Eight people were named in total, including Rai’s driver, Tinnu Yadav (Ramashankar Yadav), alongside Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra and retired bank official Subhash Srivastava. All eight, most of them Trust employees, were arrested in quick succession, with their premises raided and financial dealings, including land transactions, now under scrutiny.
Investigators say they uncovered a long-running pattern of theft involving cash, gold, silver and other offerings, tracing money trails through several banks over the years. Some reports suggest the theft may date back to 2021, with former accounts in-charge Mahipal Singh claiming he had flagged concerns to officials, including Rai, at the time — only to be sidelined. Mounting pressure eventually led to Rai’s resignation on moral grounds, with Mishra following shortly after.
So far, no criminal case has been filed against Rai, Mishra or any other senior Trust official.
The VHP has demanded a thorough investigation, and public anger has grown steadily, all the more so given the Ram Temple’s stature as a symbol of national pride since its inauguration in 2024 and the scale of donations it has drawn since.
The Trust has maintained that its finances remain transparent. It said that of the Rs 3,264 crore received in donations and corpus contributions, Rs 2,370 crore has gone towards construction and capital expenditure. A further Rs 582 crore was received in offerings up to 31 March 2026, of which Rs 391 crore covered operational costs, with the rest still held in bank accounts. Officials also pointed to annual audits and verification checks carried out over the years.
Krishna Mohan’s appointment, given his administrative background as a retired IFoS officer, is being seen as a signal of the Trust’s intent to prioritise integrity and professional oversight going forward. Authorities have also flagged plans for a wider administrative review, the possible appointment of a CEO, and tighter protocols for handling donations to prevent any repeat of the episode.
The Trust is due to meet again on 22 July, when it will discuss the SIT’s findings, expected by then.
While the episode has undoubtedly tested public trust, it has also set corrective measures in motion. Devotees and stakeholders are now expecting closer oversight, digital tracking of offerings, and stronger security arrangements going forward.
The SIT’s investigation remains ongoing, and further arrests or charges have not been ruled out should more evidence come to light. With the temple continuing to draw millions of pilgrims, much will depend on how effectively the new leadership tackles the deeper issues this scandal has brought to the surface.
