Eight arrested in Ayodhya Ram Temple donation embezzlement

Eight individuals, including a primary school teacher, a retired bank employee, a former automobile mechanic, and a trusted aide to a senior temple trust official, have been arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of cash donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Police allege the accused, most of whom were contract workers hired through an outsourcing agency, exploited their roles in the temple's donation-counting system to siphon off offerings over a period of time.

The arrests follow a First Information Report (FIR) registered on June 25 after a preliminary report by a Special Investigation Team. According to investigators, the alleged scheme involved removing cash by exploiting blind spots in CCTV coverage, temporarily hiding money in washrooms, and using unauthorized access to keys for donation boxes and counting rooms. Police are examining financial transactions, digital evidence including WhatsApp chats, and assets allegedly disproportionate to the accused's known incomes.

Avinash Shukla, a primary school teacher assigned to cash reconciliation, has been identified as a key accused. Police sources claim over 20 lakh rupees in cash, foreign currency, and jewelry...