Ram Temple donation row: Trust to deploy CCTV, bank official to be present at counting amid theft probe

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has announced a wide-ranging set of administrative and religious reforms after its latest meeting in Ayodhya, aiming to improve transparency, strengthen temple governance and uphold traditional religious practices amid an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in donation counting.

The Trust clarified that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry into alleged discrepancies in counting devotees' offerings is still in progress, with the final report yet to be submitted. It appealed to the public to avoid drawing conclusions before the investigation is complete, adding that any action against individuals found responsible will be initiated only after due legal procedures and in compliance with court directives.

To enhance transparency with immediate effect, the Trust has decided that an Assistant General Manager from Indian Bank and a representative of Swarna Rajat Finance will remain present during the counting of donations. It also announced the introduction of live CCTV monitoring of the entire counting process to ensure greater accountability.

Reviewing the existing financial management system, the Trust expressed concern over shortcomings in banking procedures and the implementation of standard operating protocols. It has instructed its Finance Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the current arrangements and recommend suitable corrective measures.

Religious leaders who attended the meeting also voiced concerns over the role of the State Bank of India (SBI), pointing out that some personnel engaged by the bank for counting donations are among those accused in the ongoing case. In light of this, the Trust indicated that its current arrangement with SBI for counting and depositing donations may be reviewed.

Religious panel to be reconstituted to preserve sanctity and traditions

Despite the controversy and widespread media attention, the Trust observed that the flow of devotees to the Ram Temple has remained unaffected. It said the steady turnout reflects the unwavering faith of millions of worshippers and expressed gratitude to saints, devotees and the residents of Ayodhya for their continued support.

To ensure better communication with devotees and the media, the Trust approved the appointment of an official spokesperson who will issue authentic and timely updates on temple-related matters. It also decided to reconstitute the Religious Committee (Puja-Anushthan Committee) to preserve the sanctity and age-old traditions associated with temple rituals.

The restructured committee will be headed by Swami Govind Dev Giri and will include Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, Swami Vishwaprasannatirth, Swami Dinendra Das, Swami Kamalnayan Das, Mahant Rajkumar Das, Swami Ramanand Das and Swami Mithileshanandini Sharan as members.

The Trust further reviewed the process of appointing new trustees to fill existing vacancies and expressed confidence that the exercise would be completed in the coming weeks.

On security arrangements, the meeting assessed the temple's CCTV surveillance system and expressed satisfaction with the current setup. It noted that all surveillance cameras, including those installed in the donation counting room, remain under the exclusive control of security authorities.

On the administrative side, the Trust said the selection process for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has reached its final phase. More than 5,200 applications have been received from across India. However, the CEO selection committee sought an additional month to complete the exercise, a request that was approved by the Trust. It also sanctioned the appointment of a secretary-level officer to further strengthen the temple's administrative framework.

No final decision was reached regarding the appointment of a permanent General Secretary or CEO. Until then, Krishna Mohan will continue to serve as Acting General Secretary. The Trust's next meeting is scheduled for 2 September, when the appointments of the new General Secretary and CEO are expected to be finalised.

The Trust also noted that Bajrang Lal Bagra, General Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has emerged as the leading contender for the post of General Secretary and attended Wednesday's meeting.

This was the Trust's second meeting since the alleged donation theft controversy came to light. At its earlier meeting on July 6, it accepted the resignations of Champat Rai as General Secretary and Anil Mishra as Trustee. Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Krishna Mohan was subsequently appointed Acting General Secretary after both leaders stepped down on June 26 amid the controversy.

Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability and preserving the sanctity of the Ram Temple, the Trust said the latest reforms and administrative initiatives are aimed at safeguarding devotees' interests while ensuring efficient and credible management of the temple.