Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 4 : Mahamandaleshwar Vishnu Das Ji Maharaj has said that the reported embezzlement of donations meant for the Ram Temple had hurt the faith of millions of Sanatanis and said no individual should be spared if found guilty in the ongoing investigation.
Speaking on the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement case, Vishnu Das said the police investigation was progressing and new details were emerging during the interrogation of the accused.
"The Ram Temple is a national symbol. While eight suspects have already been apprehended, questions are now being raised about the involvement of figures like Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao. Regardless of their status, if found guilty, no one can shield them from legal consequences," he said.
Referring to the ongoing probe, Vishnu Das said police were conducting searches at the residences of the accused, including Tinnu Yadav, and added that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had assured that the truth would come to light.
"Even if there are attempts to protect these individuals, their public image has already been severely tarnished. Police are conducting searches at the residences of all suspects, including Tinnu Yadav. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has assured that the truth will be fully revealed," he added.
He further alleged that Tinnu Yadav had informed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav about the alleged thefts, who then used the information for political purposes ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
"There appears to be a significant conspiracy aimed at undermining the sanctity of the Ayodhya Ram Temple. I have information suggesting that Tinnu Yadav informed Akhilesh Yadav about the thefts, who then used the information for political purposes ahead of the 2027 elections.It seems Akhilesh Yadav was aware of the situation early on. If this information hadn't surfaced, the thefts might have continued. These incidents reportedly began even before the Kumbh Mela," he told ANI.
Earlier, the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj, demanded the strictest possible punishment for the perpetrators, stating that those who committed this crime against the deity "should be hanged."
Speaking on the progress of the case, Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj confirmed that the primary accused have already been jailed. He assured that the local administration is pursuing the matter with full force and that active efforts are underway to fully recover the embezzled funds.
"Those who committed this theft against Ram Lalla should be hanged," he said.
The statement comes as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrived at the temple premises to deepen its probe into the financial irregularities. The state government recently granted a 15-day extension to the SIT, widening its scope to ensure a comprehensive inquiry into the entire network involved.
Meanwhile, a team of the Ayodhya Police has taken the prime accused, Avinash Shukla, out of the Ayodhya District Jail after securing a 24-hour custodial remand from a local court.
Later in the day, following a series of extensive field searches, the police team escorted Shukla back to the district jail premises. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) and local police sought Shukla's physical custody to reconstruct the sophisticated modus operandi of the theft and to recover more siphoned funds.