‘Capital punishment warranted’: Ram Mandir Trust member on Ayodhya donation row

NEW DELHI: Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj on Sunday backed the administration’s action in the alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case, saying the steps taken were appropriate and demanding strict punishment for those found guilty.Speaking to news agency ANI, he said the ongoing investigation and arrests were justified and credited the state leadership for swift action.“The action taken by the administration is appropriate. Whatever verdict is delivered will be the right one. The chief minister ensured the culprits were caught, otherwise, they might never have been found,” Das said.‘Strict punishment, even capital punishment warranted’Calling the alleged offence a serious breach of trust, the Trust member said stronger punishment was necessary to deter such incidents in the future.“If the administration continues to take action, such thefts will cease. It is right to imprison anyone found guilty in this matter; even capital punishment is warranted. Stealing from Ram Mandir is a heinous crime. Once they are imprisoned and face the gallows, everything will be set right,” he added.Das also asserted that the functioning of the temple has not been disrupted despite the ongoing probe, adding that donation handling has now become fully transparent.“Worship is proceeding smoothly. Rituals are performed on time. There is complete transparency regarding donations now. No one takes any money. Anyone found guilty will be removed, and every effort will be made to penalise them,” he said.SIT probe underway, arrests and administrative actionThe remarks come amid an ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged misappropriation of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.An FIR was registered on June 25 after a preliminary SIT report submitted on June 23, following which eight people were arrested in connection with the case. The state government later extended the SIT probe by 15 days on July 1 to widen its investigation.Subsequently, two key figures linked to the trust administration, including Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Mishra, resigned, taking moral responsibility for the alleged irregularities.Allegations of siphoning, financial irregularities under scannerInvestigators are also examining alleged financial irregularities involving accused persons whose incomes reportedly do not match their assets, including property purchases and luxury vehicles.Officials estimate that, based on bank records, around Rs 6–8 lakh was allegedly siphoned off daily from temple donations before the case surfaced, with donation flows averaging Rs 16–18 lakh per day earlier.Investigators are also probing CCTV footage and procedural lapses in cash handling during high-footfall periods such as Maha Kumbh, when donation volumes reportedly surged significantly.The probe into the alleged scam is ongoing, with authorities continuing to question those arrested and examine financial records linked to the temple trust’s donation system.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.