The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday intensified its parallel criminal investigation into the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram temple by taking arrested accused Avinash Shukla into 24-hour police custody for recoveries, reconstruction of events and verification of fresh leads even as the state government’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) continued its probe into the financial and administrative functioning of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
A police team reached Ayodhya district jail at around 9am and took Shukla into custody before bringing him to the Reserve Police Lines, where he was interrogated for nearly two hours. Investigators then took him to multiple locations in Ayodhya and later to his native Pratapgarh district to verify his disclosures, sources said.
As part of the reconstruction of events, the police team took Shukla to a yoga centre in Ayodhya’s Kaushalpuri locality where he had lived for some time. Investigators examined the premises and questioned him about his activities there to corroborate his statements and determine whether any evidence linked to the alleged offence had been concealed at the location. The police also took him to a hotel where all the accused used to gather and allegedly share stolen money, sources said.
According to police sources, Shukla was confronted with evidence gathered during the investigation and questioned about the movement of the allegedly stolen cash and valuables, disposal of the proceeds and the possible involvement of other persons. The interrogation reportedly led investigators to suspect that part of the cash and gold and silver ornaments offered by devotees had been concealed at different locations.
{{/usCountry}}According to police sources, Shukla was confronted with evidence gathered during the investigation and questioned about the movement of the allegedly stolen cash and valuables, disposal of the proceeds and the possible involvement of other persons. The interrogation reportedly led investigators to suspect that part of the cash and gold and silver ornaments offered by devotees had been concealed at different locations.
{{/usCountry}}Acting on these disclosures, the police team took Shukla to Pratapgarh and conducted searches at locations identified by him in an effort to recover the missing cash and valuables and strengthen the evidentiary chain in the case.
Investigators are also probing whether the alleged proceeds of the crime were invested in movable or immovable assets. Besides tracing a motorcycle suspected to have been purchased using the misappropriated money, police are verifying the purchase of a car allegedly bought by Shukla around a year ago. Officials are examining the source of funds used for the vehicle and whether it was financed using money allegedly siphoned off from devotees’ donations.
Shukla, a native of Pratapgarh, was engaged in counting donations at the Ram temple and had been living in rented accommodation in Ayodhya. During earlier searches, investigators recovered around ₹20 lakh in cash, 1,100 US dollars, gold and silver ornaments and a donation box bearing the inscription “Ram Rajya Kosh”.
The criminal case originates from an FIR registered at Ayodhya on June 25. Eight persons have been arrested so far. They include six outsourced employees engaged in counting devotees’ offerings and Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, a close aide of Trust general secretary Champat Rai. Avinash Shukla was among the six outsourced employees.
Senior officials said the police investigation and the SIT inquiry are proceeding simultaneously but with distinct mandates. Officials indicated that the SIT’s final findings could determine whether the scope of the criminal investigation is expanded further.