The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has declined to provide detailed financial information sought by the local administration following a complaint that was forwarded by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), according to officials familiar with the matter.
The issue arose after BJP leader Rajneesh Singh wrote to the PMO on June 9, seeking complete transparency regarding the Trust’s financial affairs. In his complaint, Singh demanded disclosure of the Trust’s income and expenditure since its formation, details of donations received, operations of bank accounts, land transactions, and information relating to the Trust’s overall assets.
Following the complaint, the PMO forwarded the matter to the district administration, which subsequently requested the relevant records from the Trust. However, the Trust Secretary reportedly declined to share the documents.
In its response, the Trust stated that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is already carrying out a formal inquiry into the matter and is collecting all necessary records and documents. The Trust maintained that providing additional information while the investigation is underway would not be appropriate.
Officials confirmed that the SIT, which was constituted on June 13, submitted its preliminary report to the Uttar Pradesh government earlier this week.
The original complaint had also sought details regarding funds collected through the ‘Samarpan Nidhi’ campaign, donations received in the form of gold, silver, and jewellery, as well as bank account statements, audit reports, and financial transaction records.
Meanwhile, the SIT probing allegations of misuse of donation funds associated with the Ram Temple has submitted its initial findings to Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad.
According to sources, the report points to significant shortcomings in the system used for counting and monitoring donations. Investigators have reportedly identified concerns related to oversight mechanisms and accountability in the handling of temple contributions.
Sources indicated that the SIT has not granted a clean chit to any individual at this stage of the investigation. The inquiry is continuing to examine the processes involved in donation management and the roles played by various personnel.
The investigation team has also scrutinized the selection process for employees tasked with counting donations. It is examining possible connections between these staff members and office-bearers of the temple trust. Questions have additionally been raised regarding the functioning of officials responsible for the temple’s internal administrative arrangements.
Given the scale and sensitivity of the matter, the SIT has sought additional time and manpower to conduct a more comprehensive investigation. Officials said the team aims to carry out a detailed examination of financial procedures and administrative practices before submitting its final report.
The developments have intensified scrutiny over the management of donations and financial operations linked to the Ram Temple Trust, with the outcome of the SIT investigation expected to play a key role in determining whether further action is warranted.
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