India’s landmark Ram temple overhauls board after alleged theft of donations
Authorities at the grand temple to Hindu god Ram in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya have announced a leadership overhaul after allegations that tens of millions of rupees received in donations have been stolen.
The trust that manages the shrine accepted the resignation of general secretary Champat Rai and appointed an interim official. The interim general secretary is retired forest officer Krishna Mohan, a known member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and a new CEO post has been created with a three‑member panel to suggest candidates.
After the first meeting on Monday, the trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri told reporters that Rai and another official, Anil Mishra, resigned following a police complaint filed on 25 June. The trust said it had collected 5.82bn rupees (about 61 million dollars) in donations up to 31 March 2026 and spent 3.19bn rupees (about 33.5 million dollars) on the shrine's upkeep.
K. Mohan stated that his priority was to close any loophole so incidents like this would never recur. He also said the allegations had damaged the trust’s image and generated distrust among devotees.
The theft allegations were first raised by a former accounts supervisor who was terminated after raising concerns. His claims sparked a political row as opposition parties questioned how cash, jewellery, gold and silver donated by devotees were handled. Petitions were filed in the state high court and Supreme Court seeking a federal police investigation under court oversight.
A former city legislator claimed more than 70m rupees (about 739,550 dollars) may have gone missing, though the exact figure has not been confirmed. Chief Rai had earlier denied any improper handling of donations.
The trust intends to meet again on 22 July, expecting a final police report by then. Giri emphasised that the theft was perpetrated by people trusted by Rai and that the trust itself did not commit the theft.
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