Ram Mandir donation row: Did missing gold donations get melted? SIT investigates shocking new angle

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of devotees' offerings at the Ram Temple is investigating whether stolen gold ornaments were melted into gold biscuits to conceal their identity, sources told India Today TV. Officials suspect the accused may have melted stolen gold and silver jewellery to make it difficult to trace the original ornaments after repeated search operations failed to recover the missing items.

As part of the investigation, SIT officials visited the Ram Temple, offered prayers to Ram Lalla and questioned temple in-charge KD Babu about the inventory, storage and maintenance of jewellery and other valuable offerings. The team has sought records of ornaments and precious donations, along with details of transactions carried out with the government-owned Printing and Minting Corporation of India (Mint).

Investigators have also sought a complete account of precious metals sent to banks and the Mint and are scrutinising the entire process. Sources said the probe has found that while the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust regularly reviewed cash donations and income during quarterly meetings, detailed records of the quantity, valuation and stock of gold, silver and other valuable offerings were not routinely discussed.

During the first phase, the trust sent 9.44 quintals (944 kg) of silver to the government-run Mint for testing and melting to assess the quality and quantity of precious metals received from devotees. Former trust general secretary Champat Rai had earlier said the temple had received nearly 13 quintals of silver and around 20 kg of gold in donations.

The latest findings come days after sources said the SIT would conduct a re-audit of the trust's accounts covering the past five years. The review will examine construction expenditure as well as gold, silver, jewellery and other valuables received as offerings.

The alleged embezzlement surfaced on June 7, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to constitute an SIT. Based on its preliminary findings, an FIR was registered on June 25. Eight people associated with the temple's donation-counting process have been arrested. Police have also questioned key accused Avinash Shukla, from whom investigators reportedly made the largest cash recovery in the case.

The SIT has questioned former trust general secretary Champat Rai, former trustee Anil Mishra and temple official Gopal Rao. Rai and Mishra have submitted their resignations, and the trust is expected to decide on them at its July 6 meeting.

The case has sparked a political row, with the Congress demanding a public accounting of donations collected before the trust's formation and a Supreme Court-monitored probe. The RSS said the alleged theft had "deeply hurt the faith of devotees" and called for strict action against those found guilty.