Jagran Correspondent | Ayodhya:The controversy over the alleged theft of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple does not seem to be dying down any time soon.
Amid intense probe and hearings in the Supreme Court, the whistleblower in the theft case, Mahipal Singh, has now submitted his statements to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), levelling several new allegations in the construction of the Ram Temple.
Mahipal Singh, the former head of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s accounts, in his , alleged that a sum of Rs 800 crore was initially allotted for the construction of the temple; however, nearly Rs 2200 crore was spent.
Mahipal Singh submitted his statement after Lucknow Division Commissioner and SIT chief Vijay Vishwas Pant asked him to issue an official statement in the case. Mahipal Singh, who is called the whistleblower in the case, earlier accused the former General Secretary of the Trust, Champat Rai, and member Dr Anil Mishra of being involved in the alleged scam. He also claimed that he came to know about the embezzlement in 2021.
Singh Made Fiery Claims
According to Mahipal Singh, Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu, along with bank employees Ratnesh Chaturvedi and Gagandeep, had stolen large bundles of currency notes from the temple. Mahipal Singh alleged that when he informed Champat Rai of the discrepancies, he ordered him to stay silent. The next day, Dr Anil Mishra replaced him with Subhash Chandra Srivastava.
Subhash is now under police custody. Mahipal said that the trust had appointed electrical engineer Jagdish Aphale as the project engineer to oversee the construction work, who had no prior experience in civil engineering. He further alleged that instead of using the free Banshi Paharpur stones, the Trust purchased cheap stones for construction.
Chandan Rai Harassed Firms, Demanded Excess Payments
Following the theft’s discovery, scrutiny has intensified regarding Chandan Rai, the accountant managing the trust’s finances. Mahipal submitted evidence to the SIT alleging that Chandan Rai harassed construction firms by withholding bills and demanding excess payments.
Additionally, allegations indicate that payments were authorised for non-existent employees. Despite these concerns, the Trust permitted Chandan Rai to continue operating its bank accounts.
Presently, deposits are made only after verification and signatures from interim general secretary Krishna Mohan and Secretary Jagdish Aphale, who also served as the project engineer for the construction of the Ram Temple.