Ram Mandir – Trust Clears Champat Rai as Donation Records Remain Secure
Ram Mandir – The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has said it found no evidence of wrongdoing by former General Secretary Champat Rai, while maintaining that all gold, silver and other valuable donations received by the Ram Mandir are secure and properly recorded.
Mahant Dinendra Das, a trustee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, made the remarks on Tuesday after a meeting of the Trust held a day earlier. He said the members had reviewed the concerns surrounding Rai and concluded that no lapse had been established against him.
Trustees Discussed Retaining Former General Secretary
According to Mahant Dinendra Das, several trustees initially supported the idea of retaining Champat Rai because no fault had been found during the internal discussion. However, the Trust later accepted his resignation after receiving legal advice regarding the written resignation submitted by him.
Das said that senior figures connected with the Ram Lalla temple administration were present during the meeting. The proposal concerning Rai’s position was discussed in detail, and trustees agreed that the resignation should be accepted if legal or judicial authorities considered it necessary.
He said the decision was not based on a finding of misconduct against Rai. Instead, it followed the legal view that a written resignation, once formally submitted, may need to be accepted by the concerned body.
Trust Rejects Claims About Missing Temple Offerings
The trustee also addressed allegations linked to gold and silver donations made by devotees at the Ram Temple. He said the Trust had received a complete report on the valuable offerings and that all items were safe, stored securely and entered into official records.
Das rejected suggestions that donated valuables had disappeared from the temple premises. He said the claims had caused concern among devotees but added that the Trust’s review found that the gold and silver offerings remained accounted for.
He further stated that several issues highlighted publicly had been presented as media narratives and that the available records did not support allegations of missing valuable donations. The Trust, he said, has continued to maintain documentation for offerings received at the temple.
Keshav Mohan Takes Charge of Trust Operations
Following Champat Rai’s departure, Keshav Mohan has been appointed to oversee the Trust’s functioning. Mahant Dinendra Das said Mohan will supervise administrative matters and monitor financial records connected with temple operations.
He added that the newly appointed office-bearer would be responsible for ensuring continuity in the Trust’s work and for maintaining complete accounts related to donations and other proceedings. The Trust has said its systems for documenting temple offerings will remain in place.
Resignations Accepted After Trust Meeting
The development came after Trust Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj announced that the resignations of Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra had been accepted. The decision followed a Trust meeting called after a Special Investigation Team began examining allegations related to theft of cash donations at the Ram Mandir.
Swami Govind Dev Giri had described the alleged negligence by the two office-bearers over a long period as a serious issue. He said those found involved in any wrongdoing should face investigation and action under the law.
At the same time, he had also dismissed reports that gold, silver or other high-value offerings were missing, saying all such donations had been documented and remained safe.
SIT Continues Investigation Into Cash Theft Allegations
The Trust meeting was held after a preliminary report from the Special Investigation Team pointed to security shortcomings in the temple’s donation counting room. The report alleged that some staff members involved in counting donations may have systematically taken cash.
Investigators have described the findings as preliminary, with further inquiry and legal proceedings still underway. The Trust has said it will cooperate with the investigation while continuing to assure devotees that temple valuables and documented offerings remain protected.