Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Champat Rai Cleared in Ram Temple Offerings Case, Questions Linger
A big temple in Ayodhya, India, called the Ram temple, gets lots of money from people who come to pray.
Some workers at the temple were accused of taking some of that money for themselves.
The government set up a special team of investigators, called the SIT, to look into what happened.
The team checked papers, videos and other evidence to find out who took the money.
The team said that eight temple workers should be punished for their part in it.
But two very important temple leaders, Mr. Champat Rai and Dr. Anil Mishra, were told they did nothing wrong.
Some people are happy with that, but others are asking questions.
They wonder why the leaders were not blamed too, since they were in charge of keeping the money safe.
The leaders had already left their jobs at the temple while the case was being checked.
Now many people want to know if the leaders really knew what was going on.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's former general secretary Champat Rai received a clean chit from the Uttar Pradesh government's Special Investigation Team in the Ram temple offering theft case.
Trust member Dr Anil Mishra was also not named as a criminal accused in the SIT's final report.
The FIR named eight temple employees who faced arrest and prosecution under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The SIT, constituted on June 13 and led by divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, submitted its preliminary report on June 23, with the FIR registered on June 25.
Questions persist over why senior functionaries were not held accountable despite reported lapses in the security, counting and monitoring of temple offerings.
- Who
- Champat Rai, former general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, trust member Dr Anil Mishra, eight temple employees, and the SIT led by Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant.
- What
- The SIT gave a clean chit to Champat Rai and Dr Anil Mishra in the case over alleged theft of offerings at the Ram temple, while eight employees were named in the FIR and prosecuted.
- When
- The SIT was constituted on June 13, submitted its preliminary report on June 23, and the FIR was registered on June 25; the final report has now been examined by the Home Department.
- Where
- Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, with the FIR filed at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station.
- Why
- The investigation was ordered following allegations of stolen cash and serious lapses in security, counting and monitoring of offerings at the Ram temple.
Critics Questioning Accountability
SIT and Trust Position
Accountability for lapses
Critics Questioning Accountability
Serious lapses in security, counting and monitoring were established, so responsibility should not rest only on lower-level employees when senior officials supervised the offering management system.
SIT and Trust Position
The final SIT report did not name Champat Rai or Dr Anil Mishra as criminal accused or fix responsibility on them, and Mahant Rajkumar Das said Champat Rai is innocent and supported by the Sant Samaj.
Fairness of the probe
Critics Questioning Accountability
Questions remain over whether the 'big fish' have been protected, given repeated movement of cash apparently went undetected under senior supervision.
SIT and Trust Position
The SIT examined documents, CCTV footage, statements and evidence, and its findings support action against the eight employees while clearing the senior functionaries.
- Temple
- Ram temple, Ayodhya
- Trust
- Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust
- SIT constituted
- June 13, on state government orders following trust's request
- SIT head
- Vijay Vishwas Pant, Lucknow divisional commissioner
- Preliminary report
- Submitted June 23 with recommendation for stringent action
- FIR registered
- June 25, at Ram Janmabhoomi police station
- Employees facing action
- Eight named employees, plus unidentified accused
- Laws applied
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Prevention of Corruption Act