Lucknow: A WhatsApp message and video sent to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s then general secretary Champat Rai on the night of June 4, 2026, emerged as one of the earliest and most significant breakthroughs in the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement case, according to the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) chargesheet filed before an anti-corruption court in Ayodhya on September 23.
The nearly 70,000-page chargesheet states that Rai was travelling by train from Delhi to Ayodhya when, at around 9.45 pm, he received a WhatsApp message and video from his associate Anand Kumar Chaudhary. The accompanying message informed Rai that Rs 2.25 lakh had been recovered from the bathroom and alleged that some individuals had been siphoning off donation money for several days. The chargesheet also records the statement of Chaudhary, who was present at the counting facility on June 4. Chaudhary stated that during this period, Rs 2.25 lakh was recovered from the bathroom of the counting room.
In his statement to the SIT, Rai said that after arriving in Ayodhya the following day, he was approached around noon at his Karsevakpuram residence by trustee Dr Anil Mishra, invited member Gopal Rao and his another associate Narendra Singh. Narendra then showed him multiple videos stored on a laptop, according to Rai. Chaudhary told investigators that after completing his duty and preparing to leave, he was stopped by personnel associated with the bank, the Trust and the counting operation. Those present included SBI employee Satya Prakash, Trust representative Vinay Srivastava and counting personnel Madan Gopal Nigam, Akash Gaur and Ritik Singh, along with another individual, according to his statement. He said he immediately recorded the recovery on his mobile phone and forwarded the video along with a written message to Champat Rai through WhatsApp.
The footage showed bundles of currency notes hidden inside the bathroom attached to the donation counting room. The footage allegedly captured members of the counting staff removing donated cash and offerings while the counting process was underway. The SIT has cited the statements of Mishra, Rao and Narendra Singh as corroborative evidence supporting Rai’s account. The Supreme Court-mandated SIT eventually named eight accused in the case: Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava. All were arrested in June and charged with criminal breach of trust and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
In his statement, Nigam claimed that while working in the second shift on June 3, he became suspicious of Karunesh Pandey, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla alias Shani and Anukalp Mishra. Acting on the suspicion, employees allegedly kept a close watch on the group on June 4. A subsequent search led to the recovery of Rs 2.25 lakh from the bathroom. The investigation identified 105 instances of alleged unauthorised removal or concealment of cash, based largely on CCTV footage and digital evidence. The SIT said Rs 79.85 lakh allegedly linked to the embezzlement was recovered from all accused except Subhash Srivastava. The chargesheet includes statements of 173 witnesses, more than 100 case diaries, bank and property records, mobile phone data and a forensic audit. Investigators, however, found no discrepancy in the 803 valuable donated articles physically verified in an SBI locker and reported no evidence of pilferage during the subsequent transfer of donations to banks.
Following this, surprise checks were introduced at the counting-room exit gate. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow Stay updated with the latest Lucknow news.
He said he alerted other counting personnel, leading to discussions among staff members. Avinash Shukla alias Shani was later seen taking a bundle of currency notes, an act allegedly noticed by another employee, Sant Prasad Verma, according to Nigam. The SIT investigation indicates that the recovery was preceded by suspicions raised by another counting employee, Madan Gopal Nigam. Nigam alleged that he observed the four men picking up bundles of donated currency and concealing them under tables or around their waists. The matter was then brought to the attention of Trust representative Vinay Srivastava and SBI employee Satya Prakash. Nigam further stated that once the accused allegedly realised frisking and checking had begun, the diverted cash was hidden inside the bathroom to avoid detection during exit checks. The recovered money was secured in a box by Trust representative Vinay Srivastava, the chargesheet states. The probe later expanded beyond the bathroom recovery. After obtaining court permission, investigators recorded additional statements from the accused. Download the TOI App.