New Delhi [India], July 2 : Congress MP and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson KC Venugopal on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case, alleging that the "Chanda Chori" at the Ayodhya temple had "shaken the nation" and amounted to a betrayal of the faith of millions of devotees.
In a post on X, Venugopal said the alleged misappropriation of donations collected in the name of Lord Ram was not merely a financial scandal but an assault on the trust of devotees across the country.
"The massive Chanda Chori at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has shaken the nation. Crores of innocent devotees gave their hard-earned savings in the name of Lord Rama. He who is known as 'Maryada Purushottam' has been misused and tarnished by those who claim to be the protectors of Hindu faith," Venugopal said.
https://x.com/kcvenugopalmp/status/2072597405137342918
He further stated that the Ram Temple was built following the Supreme Court's verdict through a public trust constituted by the Government of India and asserted that the Centre bore responsibility for the temple's administration.
"The Ayodhya Ram Temple was built through a Supreme Court verdict - using public land, through a public trust set up by the Government of India. What happens in the Temple's administration is solely the Centre's responsibility," he said.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, Venugopal alleged that preliminary investigations pointed to a well-organised network behind the alleged embezzlement and claimed that earlier complaints regarding financial irregularities had been ignored. He further alleged that the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe was inadequate and sought a free and fair investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
"Multiple warnings about theft... were repeatedly ignored... Even the SIT proceedings we have seen so far are an eyewash, clearly designed to shield the 'big fish'. This is way beyond an ordinary loot... I have written to the PM demanding an immediate Supreme Court-monitored investigation into this Chanda Chori mega scandal," he said.
Venugopal's letter also alleged that crucial CCTV footage had been destroyed, complaints of irregularities had been suppressed, and officials who flagged discrepancies in donation accounting had faced action instead of being heard. He claimed these developments indicated institutional failures that warranted an independent probe.
The demand comes amid an expanding investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Meanwhile, the Faizabad Bar Association on Thursday submitted a complaint to Ayodhya Police naming former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, former trustee Anil Mishra and administrator Gopal Rao, among others, in connection with the alleged financial irregularities. The Bar Association has also sought registration of a fresh FIR based on what it described as new facts in the case.
The controversy began after an FIR was registered on June 25 over the alleged embezzlement of temple donations. Subsequently, Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking moral responsibility for the controversy, while the Uttar Pradesh government extended the tenure of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) by 15 days to widen the scope of its probe. Police continue to record statements from key individuals as part of the ongoing investigation.