An Ayodhya court has given one-day police custody to three accused in the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case. A Special Investigation Team’s report found evidence of theft by staff, citing CCTV footage of cash being concealed during counting.
Court Grants Police Custody in Embezzlement Case
An Ayodhya Court has granted one-day police custody of three accused, Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, and Karunesh Pandey, for further interrogation into the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case.
The police had sought seven-day custody of three jailed accused, arguing that their custodial interrogation was required to take the investigation forward.
The Investigating Officer (IO) told the court that questioning the accused was necessary for further progress in the case.
Earlier on Sunday, a police team had questioned five accused inside the jail. Based on the information that emerged during that interrogation, police filed the application seeking custody of three of them.
SIT Report Finds Evidence of Theft
Meanwhile, a Special Investigation Team (SIT), in its preliminary report submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government, found prima facie evidence of theft and pilferage during the counting of donations at the temple.
The inquiry examined CCTV footage, statements of trust officials, bank officers, security personnel and counting staff, along with bank records, seizure documents, the MoU and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
CCTV Footage Shows Staff Concealing Cash
The report states that CCTV footage available from April 27 to June 5 repeatedly shows some counting personnel concealing bundles of currency notes and loose cash inside their clothes, pockets, shoes and other hidden places.
It also records instances where other employees appeared to assist or shield such activities.
According to the SIT, the available footage documents around 70 instances of alleged theft or pilferage during the period under review.
Security Lapses and Prior Incidents
Based on employee statements and discrepancies between counted cash and bank deposits, the report says similar incidents may also have occurred before April 27, although the absence of older CCTV footage prevented assessment of their actual extent.
The report says prescribed security measures, including frisking, biometric attendance, restrictions on personal belongings, CCTV monitoring and other safeguards provided under the Trust’s SOPs, were not effectively implemented.
Individuals Identified and Trust Shake-up
Based on CCTV footage, recovery records, financial documents and witness statements, the report identifies Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey and Ramashankar Mishra as having prima facie involvement.
It states that Avinash Shukla and Manish Kumar Yadav were repeatedly seen removing or concealing cash, while the others were seen assisting or engaging in similar acts.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Treasurer, Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, has also announced that the resignations of Champat Rai as General Secretary and trustee Anil Mishra had been accepted following a Trust meeting.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)