After the donation scam in Ayodhya Ram temple, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will now appoint a CEO. Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri Maharaj said this happened due to lack of professional monitoring. After the SIT investigation, General Secretary Champat Rai has resigned.
Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [भारत]July 7 (ANI): Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is considering appointing a chief executive officer (CEO). Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri Maharaj says there is a need to bring in the discipline of professional bureaucrats to ensure proper management of trust affairs.
Stating that such a situation had arisen only because of the absence of the CEO, the Treasurer said that the Trust has constituted a committee to select and recommend three names, from which the Trust will ultimately decide on a person. “All this happened because of the absence of a CEO, because the monitoring work requires the discipline that professional bureaucracy people bring. We did not have that kind of professional monitoring here and this was the result of that. So, we will bring in one; we have formed a committee to select and recommend three names, and we will choose one of them,” Govind Dev Giri Maharaj told ANI.
There is no doubt on the honesty of Champat Rai: Treasurer
Govind Maharaj also expressed confidence in Champat Rai, who recently resigned from the post of general secretary of the trust on ethical grounds. The Treasurer said that “there is still no doubt about the integrity of Champat Rai”, but it could not be ignored that Rai was “careless” in the matter of hiring some people.
The Treasurer said, “When I say he is innocent, I mean that he cannot possibly have any personal involvement in this whole scam. I have known him for 32 years, so I cannot even imagine him being involved in something like this. Now, this reflects his character; we still have no doubt about his honesty. However, it has to be admitted that he was negligent in his work, after all, he employed such a criminal as his driver. That man’s He had the keys and controlled everything.”
Driver responsible for scam: Govind Maharaj
Govind Maharaj directly blamed the arrested driver Ram Yadav (Tinnu Yadav) for the alleged misappropriation of temple donations. He alleged that the driver may have been pressured by others to embezzle the funds.
He said, “I believe his driver did all this; I even suspect that the driver was connected to outsiders. They probably instigated him to do it and report him. I often think it was orchestrated by others.” Maharaj further said, “All this was happening, yet no one paid attention. It is a matter of sorrow, pain and shame for us; we feel embarrassed because of it.”
SIT investigation found evidence of theft
On Monday, Govind Dev Giri Maharaj also spoke to officials of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the temple case, in which Maharaj provided the information sought by the officials. “The SIT spoke to me over phone. They asked for some information, which I provided. I am satisfied with the SIT,” he said.
A preliminary report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Uttar Pradesh government has found prima facie evidence of theft and misappropriation during the counting of donations at the Ram Temple. The SIT examined CCTV footage, statements of trust officials, bank personnel, security staff and counting staff as well as financial records and standard operating procedures.
According to the report, around 70 cases of counting staff allegedly hiding cash in their clothes, pockets and shoes were caught in CCTV footage recorded between April 27 and June 5.
The SIT said that while allegations of missing silver bricks and other precious offerings were not confirmed, records indicated that such items were in the custody of the trust. The investigation is still going on.
Major changes in the trust after the scam
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has initiated a series of sweeping reforms and accepted high-profile resignations in the wake of the SIT’s preliminary report on the donation embezzlement controversy. The resignations of general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra were formally accepted on Monday, as the trust seeks to distance itself from the ongoing financial irregularities. Krishna Mohan has been given the responsibility of interim general secretary of Ram Mandir Trust. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet News staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)