Embezzlement suspected to have been carried out in a more organised manner during the Maha Kumbha

Issue of theft of donations at Shri Ram Temple

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) – It is suspected that the embezzlement at Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya was carried out in a more organised manner during the period of the Maha Kumbha, held in Prayagraj in January and February 2025, when the number of devotees visiting the temple and the volume of donations increased significantly. Sources said that additional personnel had been appointed during this period to assist in counting the donated money.

During the 45-day Maha Kumbha period, there was a substantial increase in the donations received at Shri Ram Temple. Against this backdrop, additional personnel were appointed, on the recommendation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, to assist the State Bank of India. The State Bank of India engaged Sainik Security Services to provide personnel for counting the donated money and sending it to the bank branch.

“The State Bank of India itself gave us the names of the people to be recruited!” – Security Services

Gaurav Singh, Director of Sainik Security Services, said, “Our organisation provides housekeeping and maintenance staff to banks and other establishments. We do not provide skilled personnel for banking operations. What work the concerned bank or establishment assigns to those employees is entirely their responsibility. In the recruitment process for Shri Ram Temple, our organisation had no authority to select the personnel independently. In this case, the State Bank of India itself provided us with the names of the people to be recruited. We merely verified their documents and completed the remaining formalities. None of those individuals had previously worked with our organisation. All the documentary evidence related to this matter has been handed over to the Special Investigation Team.”