According to sources, nearly 10 to 15 percent of the offerings made to the Trust are deposited directly into its Bank of Baroda account through online transactions. The remaining donations are credited to the State Bank of India, which serves as the Trust's primary banking institution.
Officials said no cash transactions are carried out through the Bank of Baroda account, and bank employees have no role in the Trust's internal operations, donation management, or cash counting process. The State Bank of India reportedly outsources personnel responsible for handling cash-related activities.
The investigation intensified late last week after eight individuals were arrested, including six employees of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust. Several of those arrested were directly involved in handling cash donations, prompting investigators to scrutinize financial records and banking activities connected to the alleged diversion of funds.
Since the establishment of the Trust, monthly donations have generally ranged between ₹1 crore and ₹1.5 crore. During major religious events, including the Maha Kumbh festival, and on public holidays, online contributions reportedly increase significantly, reaching between ₹4 crore and ₹5 crore.
According to the Trust's latest annual report issued in September, total earnings during the financial year 2024-25 stood at nearly ₹327 crore. This included approximately ₹153 crore received as donations and around ₹173 crore generated through interest income.
Sources said the Trust withdraws funds from its bank accounts only once or twice each year, exclusively through cheque transactions. Authorized representatives personally visit the bank to complete the withdrawal process. For high-value transactions, cheques are cleared only after cross-verification with senior Trust officials as an additional security measure.
The investigation has also drawn attention to accounts held by individuals associated with the Trust. According to sources, Champat Rai, the Trust's General Secretary, who resigned last week after accepting moral responsibility for the alleged donation diversion, maintains an account at the Bank of Baroda branch in Ayodhya. The account was transferred from Delhi several years ago but is currently inactive and contains only a negligible balance.
Ram Shankar Yadav, also known as Tinnu, who worked as Champat Rai's driver, was among the eight individuals arrested in connection with the case.
Another Trust official, Anil Mishra, who also resigned alongside Champat Rai, maintains an account at the same Bank of Baroda branch. Sources said he obtained a loan of ₹20 lakh from the bank approximately two to three months ago to purchase an electric vehicle.
Authorities have clarified that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust operates a dedicated account exclusively for receiving online offerings, through which digital donations are deposited directly.
As part of the ongoing investigation, the Ayodhya Police issued a notice to Bank of Baroda seeking account details of three individuals named in the First Information Report: Avinash Shukla, a named accused; Manish Yadav, the nephew of Ram Shankar Yadav; and Supriya Mishra, the wife of Lavkush Mishra, one of the principal accused who was responsible for handling cash donations.
Bank officials promptly submitted a written response to the police notice.
According to sources, Avinash Shukla and Manish Yadav both maintain accounts with Bank of Baroda, while Supriya Mishra does not hold an account at the bank. Investigators found that Manish Yadav's account currently contains a balance of only ₹1,400 and has remained inactive since April.
The investigation has further revealed that Lavkush Mishra had purchased land and constructed a house in the name of his wife, Supriya Mishra. Police are now closely examining the financial records and banking details of Supriya Mishra, Avinash Shukla, and Manish Yadav as they continue to trace the alleged diversion of temple donations and determine the movement of funds connected to the case.
The expanding investigation marks a significant phase in one of the most sensitive financial inquiries involving a major religious institution, with investigators now focusing on banking records, financial transactions, and the assets of individuals linked to the alleged diversion of donation funds.
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