Ayodhya row: 30 more staff members face SIT scrutiny

The investigation into the alleged theft of cash offerings at the Ram Temple has expanded. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is now looking into nearly 30 more employees who helped count donations. Eight accused have been arrested so far, but the number may increase in the coming days, sources told The Pioneer.

The investigation has found that about 50 people were involved in counting the donated currency notes at the temple. Nearly 40 of them were reportedly hired on the recommendation of Trust office-bearers or their associates. This finding has made recruitment a key focus of the SIT’s investigation into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations.

This recruitment pattern may have made the thefts easier, leading to the arrest of eight people in late June 2026. Six of those arrested worked directly in cash counting through an outsourced agency, while the others were supervisors. The SIT, set up by the Uttar Pradesh Government on June 13 at the Trust’s request, first focused on these workers after its initial report found irregularities in handling offerings. But with nearly 50 people involved, including private agency staff, Trust supervisors, SBI verifiers, and technical support, the investigation is now looking more closely at possible weaknesses in the system.

After submitting an interim report on June 23 that recommended steps such as appointing a chief executive officer, holding weekly audits, and retaining CCTV footage for 180 days instead of 45, the team received an additional 15 days to continue its work on July 1. Now, the focus is not only on the accused individuals but also on the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s entire financial system since 2020. The inquiry is looking for possible problems throughout the system, not just the thefts.

A key part of the expanded investigation is how staff were recruited. Nearly 40 of the 50-counting staff were reportedly hired on the recommendations of Trust officials. The SIT is checking if this led to weak oversight or possible collusion. Investigators are looking into whether standard checks, like background verification, were skipped. This could lead to more people being named, since the FIR mentions ‘others’ and early findings suggest up to 150 possible suspects, with action expected against about 25.

Police say the investigation now has three main parts. First is the financial trail, where teams match daily collection records with bank deposits from recent months to determine how much money may have been taken. Second is the human trail, with nearly 30 counters questioned about how they were hired, their training, and who they reported to in day-to-day operations. Investigators are also checking if any of them had past cases or connections with each other. Third is the institutional trail, which looks at the roles of supervisors and Trust officials who made hiring recommendations.

No Trust office-bearer has been accused yet, but statements have been taken to understand the hiring process. CCTV footage from the counting and strong rooms is being reviewed closely. A senior officer said, “More arrests are possible. We are not ruling out the involvement of more people in either the theft or in facilitating it by bypassing norms.”

Raids and searches are still going on as the investigation widens. Ayodhya police have carried out several operations at homes linked to the accused and at places involved in counting donations, during which cash, valuables, and documents were found. The team is also reviewing land deals, material purchases, and daily reports sent to the Chief Minister’s Office for any signs of problems related to the handling of donations.

Trust officials have been told not to leave Ayodhya while the investigation continues, indicating greater focus on administrative responsibility. The investigation has shifted from looking at single crimes to possible failures in the system. The SIT is comparing donation patterns with visitor numbers and reviewing five years of Trust accounts to see whether the thefts point to bigger problems, such as not following procedures or weak security during counting. So far, eight arrests and the recovery of nearly Rs 80 lakh are early results, but the main finding is that the thefts may be a sign of larger issues in hiring and oversight.