AYODHYA: The probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple intensified on Wednesday as police conducted fresh searches, recovering a donation box with a QR code, cash, gold, silver and foreign currency, while the probe revealed an accused-wise cash trail of more than Rs 77 lakh, according to police sources.According to news agency PTI, police sources said the highest cash recovery so far was from Avinash Shukla, from whom Rs 20.39 lakh was recovered. He was followed by Karunesh Pandey, with Rs 18.07 lakh, Anukalp Mishra with Rs 16.82 lakh, Lavkush Mishra with Rs 14.25 lakh, Ramashankar Mishra with Rs 7.32 lakh, and Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu with Rs 1 lakh.Apart from cash, police also recovered around 11 grams of gold, 375 grams of silver and USD 1,121 during the investigation, sources added.The fresh searches also led to the recovery of a donation box labelled “Ramrajya Kosh” carrying a Paytm QR code from a yoga centre in Ayodhya where accused Avinash Shukla had reportedly been staying for the past 10 years, PTI reported citing sources.Sundar Lal, a yoga instructor at the centre, told PTI that police had earlier raided the premises on June 5, checked CCTV footage and searched the room where Shukla stayed.“The police arrived with Avinash and required us to vacate the premises where he was living. After they left, we learned that Rs 5 lakh had been recovered from his possession,” Lal said.Police also searched the residence of accused Lavkush Mishra, including stacks of dry fodder, as part of the investigation. Sources said Lavkush’s father, Bachchu Lal Mishra, was taken into custody for questioning.Earlier on June 28, a team led by circle officer (CO) Ashutosh Kumar had visited Avinash Shukla’s residence in Ayodhya to conduct inquiries and gather evidence, according to news agency ANI.Speaking about the investigation, accused Avinash Shukla’s brother Abhishek Shukla told the media, “The investigation is underway. If he has committed any crime, he’ll go to jail. Whoever it is, whoever has committed a crime, will be punished. We cannot stand with those who are involved in this case.”The probe has also widened to examine the role of around 400 private security personnel deployed at the temple complex. Police are scrutinising duty rosters, CCTV footage, entry and exit records and other activities to determine whether security protocols were violated or whether anyone facilitated the alleged embezzlement.Sources said legal action would be initiated against any security personnel found to have ignored rules or assisted in the alleged theft.The controversy erupted after former Samajwadi Party MLA from Ayodhya Pawan Pandey alleged that donations worth around Rs 7 crore to Rs 7.5 crore were misappropriated from the Ram Mandir, ANI reported.Following the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 14 after a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust to investigate the matter.The SIT submitted its preliminary findings on June 23, following which an FIR was registered on June 25 against those associated with the temple’s donation-counting process. Eight persons have been arrested in connection with the case.According to officials cited by ANI, the FIR was registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61 and 3(5).Those named in the FIR include Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinnu Yadav, Manish Yadav and others.A local court in Ayodhya on Monday remanded all accused in the alleged donation scam to 14 days of judicial custody.Earlier, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking “moral responsibility” over the controversy.Investigators also recorded Champat Rai’s statement as part of the probe. The investigation gained further momentum after police questioned accused Avinash Shukla inside the district jail after obtaining court permission.(With agency inputs)
