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Rai, Mishra named prosecution witnesses in Ram Temple donation theft chargesheet
They are among 133 witnesses listed in a chargesheet concerning irregularities in donation counting, which involves multiple accused persons.
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Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s former trustee Anil Kumar Mishra and former general secretary Champat Rai, who came under intense political scrutiny after allegations of irregularities in handling devotees’ donations at the Ram temple surfaced, have been named as prosecution witnesses in the chargesheet filed in the case.
The two former senior Trust functionaries are among 133 witnesses cited in the 59-page covering part of the chargesheet filed before the special judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Ayodhya, on September 23.
The chargesheet also names Krishna Mohan, the then interim general secretary of the Trust and complainant in the case, and Gopal M Nagarkatte (also known as Gopal Rao), a former special invitee member of the Trust and VHP functionary, among the prosecution witnesses.
Six counting agents– Avinash Shukla alias Shani, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey and Ramashankar Mishra–have been named as accused. The two co-accused are Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu. HT accessed the cover part of the chargesheet.
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The witness status of Mishra and Rai is notable as both held key positions in the Trust during the period under investigation and were questioned about its donation-handling arrangements.
Mishra was questioned about the roles and responsibilities of people involved in handling devotees’ offerings. His name had earlier figured in the preliminary scrutiny conducted by the first SIT headed by Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant.
Rai, who was general secretary during the period under investigation, was also questioned. Both subsequently resigned from their respective Trust positions. Their resignations were announced by the Trust on June 27.
Investigators have cited statements of these Trust-linked functionaries to describe the system for collection, counting and depositing donations and the circumstances in which the alleged irregularities came to light.
Also Read | SIT finds 105 theft instances at Ram Temple, aims to file charge sheet by Sept 25
The case concerns allegations that portions of devotees’ cash offerings were removed or concealed during counting at the temple premises before the money entered the banking process.
According to the chargesheet, the six counting agents were assigned to sort and count donations. Investigators allege that they misused their access to the cash during the counting process and, in concert with the two co-accused, diverted portions of the offerings.
The chargesheet invokes Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for alleged criminal breach of trust, along with Sections 317(2) and 317(5) concerning property allegedly derived from such an offence and its concealment, and Section 61(2) relating to criminal conspiracy. Prosecution sanction under the Prevention of Corruption Act has also been obtained against the six counting agents, according to the investigation record.
According to SIT status material placed before the Supreme Court, analysis of CCTV footage and other digital evidence identified 105 instances of alleged unauthorised removal or concealment of currency inside the counting room.
Investigators also examined bank accounts, property transactions, mobile-phone data, CCTV footage and other electronic evidence as part of their probe into the alleged financial trail.
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All eight accused were arrested on June 26, a day after the FIR was registered on Krishna Mohan’s complaint. The chargesheet was filed on September 23, two days before the September 25 deadline linked to the 90-day statutory period from the first arrests.
The allegations against all eight accused are part of the prosecution case and remain to be tested during trial. None of the accused has been convicted in the case and they are presumed innocent unless found guilty by a competent court.
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