Congress demands expansion of probe into Ram Temple donation theft case

The Congress has adopted an aggressive stance in the case of theft of donations for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. On Wednesday, 11 November 2026, Congress demanded that all financial records of this case be made public, the scope of the investigation be expanded, and strict action be taken according to the law against anyone found guilty. According to a report by The Hindu, the opposition party insisted that accountability should not be limited only to the eight employees who have been arrested.

Congress states that the role of every person responsible for the construction, management, and handling of the donations received for the temple should be investigated under the supervision of the Supreme Court. The party questioned that since people from the BJP, RSS, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were present everywhere—from the Trust to the process of counting donations and depositing them in the bank—they cannot now distance themselves from the responsibility of the theft of donations.

Congress referred to the claims made by Mahipal Singh, a former account in-charge associated with the RSS. Mahipal Singh had alleged irregularities and embezzlement in donations as early as 2021. He claimed that he had detected the theft in 2021 and informed Champat Rai and Gopal Rao, but instead of taking action against the responsible persons, he himself was removed. Regarding this, Congress questioned how Champat Rai and Gopal Rao could not have been partners in this theft for five years and whether this is not evidence of collusion from the top down.

Referring to media reports, Congress further stated that Dinanath Verma, the engineer overseeing the construction work, had alleged that a 40 per cent commission was demanded for work at the Trust office. He claims that he played an audio recording of this to Champat Rai, after which he was removed from the project. Congress asked whether Champat Rai was directly questioned about this and, when the irregularities were already known, how Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao were recorded as witnesses instead of accused in the chargesheet?

Questions have also been raised regarding the association of accused Anukul Mishra with the Bajrang Dal and an RSS shakha. On 30 April 2026, Champat Rai himself attended his Bhagwat Katha, which Congress has described as direct high-level protection provided to the thieves. Furthermore, Subhash Shrivastava, the in-charge of the counting staff, used to run a shakha at his home. The SIT has held him responsible for allowing unauthorised persons access to the keys of the donation boxes. It is also alleged that the accused Tinu Yadav was the driver of Champat Rai.

Congress questioned that while advertisements and selection committees were created for the recruitment of priests, no advertisements or interviews were conducted for the counting room where crores of rupees arrived every week. Why were those who appointed their close associates there and distributed the donations not made accused?

On 5 February 2020, Prime Minister Modi announced the formation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in the Lok Sabha. Congress said that this process was carried out secretly and its criteria have not been made public. While the Prime Minister and Chief Minister have been quick to take credit, why are they silent on the theft of donations?

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh stated in the Assembly that the government had formed an SIT upon the appeal of the Trust. Congress questioned whether it is not true that the first SIT report was handed over to the very Trust whose office-bearers faced corruption allegations? When that report was shared with suspicious persons, why is it being hidden from the public? Congress finally asked why the contacts of all suspicious persons and the accused are linked only to the BJP, RSS, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad.