The SIT will examine donation collection, cash handling and internal control mechanisms to determine whether funds were diverted and who may have been involved.
BY PC Bureau
June 14, 2026: The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, acting on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The move came after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust formally requested a government-led investigation into the alleged irregularities involving donations made by devotees.
The SIT will be headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, a 2004-batch IAS officer. The other members are Lucknow Range Inspector General Kiran S, a 2008-batch IPS officer who has previously served with the CBI and Interpol, and Neelratan Kumar, Special Secretary in the Finance Department with more than 36 years of experience in the state’s finance and accounts services.
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Officials said the panel has been asked to submit a preliminary report within seven days and a final report within 15 days.
The allegations surfaced about a week ago after claims emerged that funds collected from temple donation boxes had been siphoned off. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had initially launched an internal inquiry and, according to sources, questioned suspects and attempted to recover the allegedly diverted funds with informal assistance from the local police.
मुख्यमंत्री @myogiadityanath जी के निर्देश पर एवं श्रीराम जन्मभूमि तीर्थ क्षेत्र ट्रस्ट के अनुरोध के क्रम में ट्रस्ट द्वारा प्राप्त दान राशि में हुई कथित वित्तीय अनियमितता के संबंध में शासन द्वारा तीन सदस्यीय विशेष जांच दल (SIT) का गठन किया गया है।
इस SIT में –
1. विजय विश्वास…— CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) June 13, 2026
However, as public and media scrutiny intensified, the Trust sought a formal probe by the state government, following which the SIT was constituted.
The investigation team is expected to visit Ayodhya shortly to examine records, review evidence gathered during the preliminary inquiry, question suspects and interact with Trust officials involved in the matter.
Officials said the SIT would scrutinise the system governing donation collection and handling, assess the adequacy of internal control mechanisms, and determine whether others may have been involved in the alleged diversion of funds.
Investigators are also expected to examine records related to the counting of donations, cash handling procedures, storage arrangements and supervisory protocols, besides questioning current and former employees associated with the temple administration.
The probe assumes significance given the substantial volume of donations received by the Ram Temple from devotees in India and abroad since its consecration.
Earlier on Saturday, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust denied allegations that crores of rupees donated at the temple had gone missing and urged the Chief Minister to order an SIT investigation. The Trust said an independent probe would help establish the facts and counter what it described as misinformation surrounding the issue.
Ram Temple Construction Committee chairman Nripendra Mishra, who was in Ayodhya to review ongoing projects at the temple complex, declined to comment on the allegations, saying his responsibilities were limited to overseeing construction-related works.
The controversy first erupted after former Samajwadi Party MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, raised the issue during a press conference last week. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav subsequently sought an investigation into the alleged irregularities in the management of temple donations.
While the Trust maintained that routine audits had not revealed any discrepancies, it later sought a government probe amid mounting public attention to the matter.
