Ayodhya: In a major administrative development, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday accepted the resignation of its General Secretary Champat Rai and Trustee Dr Anil Mishra, who had stepped down citing moral grounds amid allegations of embezzlement of temple donations. The Trust entrusted senior member Krishna Mohan with the responsibility of Interim General Secretary.
The decision was taken during a crucial meeting of the Trust held in Ayodhya today. Trust sources confirmed that the resignations and the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into donation irregularities dominated the agenda. Trust Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri briefed the media after the meeting. Mahant Dinendra Das, a Trust member, stated that the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra had been accepted and that Krishna Mohan has been entrusted with the responsibility of Interim General Secretary.
The meeting also reviewed the interim findings of the SIT, unaudited financial statements for 2025-26, and measures for greater transparency and administrative reforms in temple management. Trust President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das (Nitya Gopal Das) is understood to have expressed that he was “deeply hurt” by the alleged incident while reiterating faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He reportedly cautioned against politicising the matter.
The resignations follow a high-profile row over alleged misappropriation of offerings made by devotees at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Uttar Pradesh government had constituted a three-member SIT on June 13, 2026, following a request from the Trust itself to investigate irregularities in the collection, counting, storage, and accounting of donations. The SIT’s preliminary findings pointed to procedural lapses, including gaps in staff verification, weak surveillance, and irregularities in the movement of cash and valuables from the temple to the Trust office and banks. Acting on the complaint filed by Trust member Krishna Mohan, police registered an FIR. Eight persons associated with the counting of donations were arrested shortly thereafter.
Krishna Mohan, a retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer from Hardoi, had joined the Trust in September 2025 following the death of former trustee Kameshwar Chaupal. His complaint formed the basis of the FIR.
The development marks a significant leadership transition in the body overseeing the iconic Ram Temple. With Champat Rai and Anil Mishra’s exit now formalised and Krishna Mohan stepping in as interim General Secretary, the Trust has signalled its intent to address governance concerns raised by the ongoing probe. The SIT investigation continues, with a final report expected to be submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government. The Trust has also indicated it will consider further steps, including possible structural reforms and enhanced oversight mechanisms for donation handling.