Ram Temple donation theft case: All 8 accused sent to 14-day judicial custody as SIT probe continues

The eight accused in the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement case have been remanded to judicial custody till July 13 by a court in Ayodhya

PGurus Newsdesk

June 29, 2026

The SIT probe into the Ram Temple donation theft case continues after a court remanded all eight accused to 14 days of judicial custody

Court remands all eight accused till July 13 as investigators continue tracing the alleged donation money trail

All eight accused arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya have been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by a local court, officials said on Monday.

The accused will remain in judicial custody till July 13. The order was passed by Special Judge (Anti-Corruption Court) Rajat Verma after the police submitted that the accused should remain in custody while the investigation in the case continues.

The case has sparked a political confrontation in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled early next year, with the opposition targeting the BJP-led state government over the alleged theft.

Political sparring over the case

The Samajwadi Party has demanded the strictest punishment for those found guilty, while accusing the BJP government of failing to prevent the alleged embezzlement.

The Congress, an ally of the Samajwadi Party, also criticised the state government, alleging that the FIR was registered only after sustained pressure and protests by the opposition.

The Uttar Pradesh government, however, has maintained that strict action is being taken against those involved while accusing the opposition of politicising the matter. The ruling BJP has also alleged that its political rivals are using the issue for electoral gains.

Responding to the criticism, Uttar Pradesh Minister Dayashankar Singh said:

“These are the people who do not believe in Lord Ram. Some among them do not even accept his existence. They have never gone for Lord Ram’s darshan. Have those criticising ever visited the Ram Temple? Have they made any contribution to its construction?”

SIT investigation underway

The case is being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which on Sunday conducted raids at the residences of all eight accused.

Those arrested include Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ram Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav.

According to investigators, all eight were involved in the counting of cash and valuables donated by devotees at the Ram Temple.

Supreme Court declines urgent hearing

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing on a petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged donation theft.

A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Sheel Nagu asked the petitioner to first furnish a copy of the plea to the registry.

The investigation continues under the SIT, with officials stating that around Rs 79.85 lakh has been recovered so far. Authorities are examining financial records, assets and other evidence as part of the ongoing probe.

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