Lucknow: The Special Investigation Team, which is probing allegations of irregularities in the donations for the Ram temple in Ayodhya, met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday, June 21 and submitted its initial report. According to sources, the SIT gave complete details of the investigation of about 60 hours that lasted for six days to the Chief Minister.
Six days, 60 hours and more than 150 inquiries
The Uttar Pradesh government had formed a three-member SIT on June 13 on the request of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Trust. The team includes Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, IG Kiran S and Special Secretary, Finance Department Neel Ratan.
The team investigated the temple premises and its associated centers for six days. During this period, more than 150 people were interrogated and records related to donations were scrutinized. SIT also has to submit its final report as soon as possible.
Flaws in the system revealed in the report
The initial report of the SIT states that many shortcomings have been found in the management of donations. There was negligence in the process of taking out cash, gold and silver jewelery from the donation boxes, taking them to the counting center and counting.
According to sources, the double-lock system that should have been in place to transport the cash to the bank was not being followed. According to the rules, its two keys should have been with different people, but in reality this was not found.
No senior official of the temple trust is named in the report. However, questions have been raised on the role of some employees, SBI staff and people of private companies counting cash.
Current method of counting donation boxes
A total of 35 donation boxes are installed in the Ram Mandir complex. These are opened twice a day. The counting work is done in two shifts, the first from 8 am to 2 pm and the second from 2 pm to 8 pm.
About 20 people participate in every shift. The counting takes place in the basement of the passenger convenience centre, which is about 200 meters away from the temple. SIT has interrogated many people associated with this process including Anil Mishra.
what could happen next
The SIT has just submitted its preliminary assessment. A detailed report has to be given within 15 days. After irregularities were found in the records of gold, silver and precious stones during the investigation, the officers and employees of the trust have been instructed not to leave Ayodhya.
Sources say that action may be taken against about 25 people. At present, there is a ban on the travel of Trust officials and nominated employees. Now everyone’s eyes are on the final report of the SIT and the government’s decision on it.
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