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Congress MP Rajeev Shukla on Sunday called for an impartial investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court in the matter related to the Ayodhya Ram Temple donations embezzlement case.
Speaking to ANI, Shukla said that both the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have acknowledged that irregularities took place and stressed the need to uncover the facts and ensure accountability. "Both the RSS and the VHP have acknowledged that irregularities occurred; no one is denying that. The task now is to uncover the facts and take appropriate measures to prevent this from happening again. It is crucial that a Supreme Court committee conducts an impartial investigation, that those involved receive severe punishment, and that safeguards are put in place to ensure such theft does not recur," Shukla told ANI. He further said that strong measures must be introduced to ensure such incidents are not repeated in the future. "We must ensure measures are taken to prevent future thefts of this nature, as people's faith has been deeply shaken by this ongoing theft over the years," the Congress MP added. The Ram Mandir donation embezzlement controversy began after an FIR was registered on June 25 over the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. The Trust has maintained that it is committed to a fair investigation and to preserving the faith of devotees. According to officials, the case has been filed under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61 and 3(5), on the directions of the Uttar Pradesh Government. Those who have been named in the FIR are: Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Tinnu Yadav, Manish Yadav and others. This comes after allegations were made by former SP MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, who claimed that between Rs 7 crore and Rs 7.5 crore in donations were misappropriated from the Ram Mandir. On June 29, an Ayodhya court remanded all the accused in the alleged donation embezzlement case to 14-day judicial custody following an intensive investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving temple donations. Earlier, former Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking moral responsibility for the controversy. Police have since recorded Champat Rai's statement, while statements of other senior Trust office-bearers, including Anil Mishra, may be recorded if required during the course of the investigation. The Uttar Pradesh government extended the tenure of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by 15 days to widen the scope of its probe. (ANI)
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