Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested all eight individuals named in an FIR related to the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The arrests were made following recommendations in the preliminary report of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state government.
The FIR was filed on the complaint of Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, after the SIT submitted its preliminary findings to the Uttar Pradesh government.
According to officials, the accused were associated with the counting of cash and valuables donated at the temple. They were arrested in Ayodhya late on Thursday night and are currently being questioned before being produced before a magistrate.
The case has been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of theft by a servant, criminal breach of trust, receiving stolen property, and criminal conspiracy.
The controversy first surfaced on June 7 after allegations of financial irregularities emerged, prompting the Trust to seek an official probe. The Uttar Pradesh government constituted the SIT on June 13, which submitted its preliminary report on June 23.
Officials said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken the matter seriously and assured strict action against anyone found guilty. Meanwhile, opposition parties have questioned the scope of the FIR, alleging that it does not fix accountability on senior Trust functionaries.
