Ram Temple donation ‘theft’ row

In the first detailed public response by a senior functionary of the Trust on the controversy, Giri also sought to separate his statutory responsibilities as treasurer from the day-to-day handling of donations and financial administration. In a two-page statement, he asserted that his responsibility was limited to maintaining audited accounts and records.

“The police and investigating agencies should catch the guilty. No matter how big the accused may be, they should be brought before the court and given strict punishment without regard to their name or position,” he said.

Giri’s statement came a day after Ayodhya’s Sant Mandal sought to fix accountability on the Trust’s treasurer over the alleged irregularities.

Family members of Ram Mandir donations alleged embezzlement case accused Lavkush Mishra arrive to meet him at the Ayodhya District Jail, in Ayodhya on Saturday. (ANI Video Grab)

“I have never sought or made any effort to obtain any position,” Giri said, adding that he had accepted the responsibility of treasurer “only as a service to Lord Ram”. He said he visits Ayodhya “only once every one-and-a-half to two months” because of religious engagements across the country, and has never claimed reimbursement for his travel or stay.

“My responsibility is limited to maintaining audited records of income and expenditure; accepting donations, operating bank accounts or authorising payments is not part of my role… As treasurer, all audited records of income and expenditure from the beginning have been securely maintained and can be examined by authorised agencies at any time,” he said.

Explaining the accounting system, Giri said the Trust’s chartered accountants and full-time accounting staff maintain and verify the accounts every month, while he reviews the audited records during his periodic visits.

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Seeking to distance himself from devotees’ offerings, Giri said, “Since becoming a trustee, I have never personally accepted any cash donation or material offering for the temple from anyone.” He said the only exceptions were donations from two close relatives — Rs 11,000 from his late elder sister and a 9-kg silver brick from another relative — both of which were immediately deposited with the Trust.

Giri said the Trust’s financial dealings are conducted entirely through the banking system. “All expenditure on behalf of the Ram Temple is made directly through banks. We do not have a chequebook, and no payments are made in cash; all transactions are through bank transfers,” he said, adding that he was not an authorised signatory to any bank account of the Trust and had no role in approving payments.

On the management of donation boxes, Giri said, “Since the beginning, I have never had any connection with the place where offerings deposited in the donation boxes by devotees are counted.”

According to him, the opening of donation boxes, counting of cash and valuables, and documentation of collections are carried out under a Standard Operating Procedure prepared jointly with the State Bank of India, and he had personally witnessed the process only once, during a visit last month.

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Acknowledging that the controversy had shaken the faith of devotees, Giri proposed strengthening the Trust’s administrative framework through enhanced digital monitoring of donations, improved documentation of valuables and a transparent chain-of-custody mechanism to ensure every donation remains fully accounted for.