Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust chief Champat Rai resigns on moral grounds amid donation row

Champat Rai resigned from the post of General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust citing moral grounds, sources told ANI on Friday, adding that Trust member Anil Mishra has also resigned.

His resignation comes after the Uttar Pradesh government had up a Special Investigation Team (sit) to probe allegations of embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The First Information Report (FIR) in the donation case named Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav who was said to be a former driver of the Trust's general secretary Champat Rai, according to PTI.

Also read: Ram temple donation row: Eight accused named in FIR taken into police custody


Tinnu had denied any role in cash counting and blamed unnamed "jealous people" for the allegations.

Others named in the FIR include Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Manish Yadav and others.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that attempts were made to shield Champat Rai and local BJP functionaries and further claimed that they had purchased land at cheaper rates and sold it to the trust at higher rates.

8 accused taken in police custody

Earlier on Friday, all eight people named in the FIR over the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya were arrested.

The FIR, lodged at the instance of Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, followed recommendations made in the preliminary report of SIT.

"All eight persons named in the FIR have been arrested and are being questioned as part of the investigation," the officials told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The accused will be produced before the court following preliminary questioning about the case, Ayodhya SSP Gaurav Grover told the news agency.

Also read: Action began immediately after SIT report: Yogi Adityanath after arrests in Ram temple donation case

CM Yogi Adityanath lashes out at opposition

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a jibe at the opposition for its stand on alleged embezzlement case at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The parties who had opposed the temple construction, the CM said, were now raising the issue for "political gain."

Addressing a public meeting in Deoria after FIR registration, he noted that the state government would adopt a "zero-tolerance"
policy against anyone attempting to hurt public faith.

"One side used to say that lord Ram doesn't even exist, meaning these people wanted to deny Ayodhya itself. They kept fighting the case in court continuously, kept fielding armies of lawyers against the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, and the other side is the one that would wield sticks and fire bullets at those chanting 'Jai Shri Ram.' Those who would fire bullets at the mere mention of Lord Ram's name are now saying that there has been tampering with faith...," Yogi Adityanath said.

He affirmed that the government will make sure that the truth comes before everything and appealed the opposition to avoid testing Ram devotees and stop tempering with their faith.

Junior employees being targeted, alleges Kejriwal

Following the FIR lodged by the Ayodhya Police, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal described it as a "sham", claiming only junior employees were targeted while "bigger people" were being protected.

The former Delhi chief minister said, "The FIR is merely an eyewash and a sham. Eight low-level employees have been arrested in this case. This scam had been going on for such a long time. It is obvious that junior employees alone could not have carried out such activities for so long. The links of this scam go much higher up, but there is an attempt to shield the big people while placing the entire blame on the heads of these small employees."