Investigation Uncovers Lavish Spending
One of the individuals implicated in the extensive donation theft at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Avinash Shukla, reportedly confessed to using a significant portion of the stolen funds for personal extravagance. According to sources cited in reports, Shukla, who was among eight counting staff members facing charges, allegedly diverted approximately ₹19 lakh of the embezzled cash for various personal expenditures.
Among the alleged purchases, Shukla is said to have bought an expensive iPhone for his girlfriend, to whom he also transferred an additional ₹2.5 lakh. Further disclosures indicate he spent around ₹6 lakh on a lavish wedding for his brother and provided another ₹5 lakh to ₹6 lakh to a different sibling. Police documents suggest Shukla alone pocketed about ₹20 lakh, making him the suspect with the highest alleged amount stolen.
The overall theft from the temple's donations is estimated to be in crores. Investigators are now meticulously examining financial transactions, bank accounts, and related assets to establish a comprehensive trail of the misappropriated funds and to finalize charges against all arrested individuals.
Temple Trust Addresses Valuables' Safety
Amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding the cash donation theft, the Ram Temple Trust has provided detailed assurances regarding the safety of other valuable offerings. Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri confirmed that all 2,926 valuable articles donated to the temple are secure and meticulously inventoried.
The Trust disclosed its holdings include more than 30 kg of gold-like items and 1,518 kg of silver-like items, alongside numerous diamond-studded ornaments, artefacts, and crowns. These details were shared after the Trust publicly displayed several offerings, including a gold Ramcharitmanas and a diamond-studded necklace, to counter social media speculation about missing items like a silver charan paduka and a silver Kakbhushundi artefact, which were also shown to be safe.
As of March 31, 2026, the Trust's inventory included 32.259 kg of gold-like items and 1,518.925 kg of silver and silver-like items, which encompasses 849.272 kg of refined silver obtained through government-supervised melting processes. Each donated article is recorded with specifics about the donor and date of donation, ensuring transparency and accountability for these precious offerings.