Ram temple donation theft: Police take custody of Tinnu, nephew Manish Yadav
Police have taken two key suspects, Ramashankar Yadav and Manish Yadav, into custody regarding the embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Authorities are currently investigating the misappropriation of funds and tracing assets purchased with the stolen money.
Why it matters
The case involves high-profile religious site management and has become a point of contention for opposition parties ahead of the parliamentary session.
Prime accused in the alleged Ram temple donation embezzlement case Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu and his nephew Manish Yadav were taken into police custody and moved to the Police Lines for medical examination on Saturday (July 18, 2026), sources said.
A special anti-corruption court on Friday (July 17, 2026), granted a 39-hour police remand of the two key accused, though the police had sought seven days, officials said.
According to police sources, investigators questioned the duo in jail on Thursday (July 16, 2026), before moving the remand application, after obtaining fresh leads during the probe.
Tinnu, who was considered close to former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, allegedly supervised the temple's donation boxes, while Manish was involved in counting the offerings, officials said.
Police had earlier recovered ₹1 lakh from Tinnu's residence and ₹2 lakh from Manish's house.
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