New Delhi [India], June 23 : Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday escalated his attack on General Secretary Champat Rai over allegations of financial irregularities. Kejriwal claimed that billions in public donations have been 'stolen' and questioned why Rai remains in the position despite mounting accusations of theft involving cash and jewellery.
Arvind Kejriwal, in a post on X, demanded to know why the central and state governments have failed to take decisive action against those in charge of the temple's funds.
Questioning the lack of institutional response to these claims, Kejriwal said, "Donations worth billions of rupees have been stolen from the Ram Mandir. It is said that cash worth around ₹200 crore alone was stolen, along with several boxes containing jewellery."
"There is a lot of anger among Ram devotees, and many questions are brewing in their minds," he added.
Challenging the current administrative oversight, he remarked, "Champat Rai is the General Secretary and holds absolute authority, the entire management is in his hands, and he runs the temple...Despite such a massive theft, the temple remains under his control, he has not been removed. He continues to run the temple. Is he being given time to destroy all the evidence? Is he being given time to make witnesses turn hostile? Who is shielding him? The public wants answers to these questions."
Raising the possibility of a political cover-up, he posed a pointed query, "Why hasn't he been removed yet? Is there a fear that if Champat Rai opens his mouth, many big faces will be exposed?"
Meanwhile, a fresh petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored investigation into the alleged financial irregularities of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya.
The petition sought registration of an FIR and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe into the reported missing funds, financial irregularities, mismanagement, and other alleged illegalities concerning the affairs and administration of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
The petition filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav also sought direction to the Trust and the Uttar Pradesh government to preserve all physical, digital and financial records, including donation registers, audit reports, CCTV footage, bank records and other documents related to the receipt, accounting and utilisation of the Trust's donations and assets.
It further sought directions restraining the Trust and the government from destroying, altering, tampering with, transferring or otherwise dealing with any record, asset, fund, document or electronic data connected with the matter.
The petition also raises doubts on the utility of the SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the allegations of missing funds and accounting discrepancies.
Asking the apex court to intervene, the petition said intervention of this Court has become imperative to preserve institutional integrity, uphold the rule of law and maintain public confidence in the administration and management of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
The petition further submitted that the scope of reference of the ongoing SIT inquiry remains unclear and the initial stages of a criminal investigation are crucial for preserving evidence, warning that any delay could lead to tampering with material evidence and hamper timely investigative measures.
The petition contended that such measures may be beyond the scope of the SIT's preliminary inquiry and sought an independent and impartial investigation to ascertain the truth and ensure accountability if any wrongdoing is established.
Earlier, an advocate had sent a letter petition to the Supreme Court alleging concerns over alleged misappropriation, disappearance and irregularities in the handling of donations and offerings made by devotees at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir.