Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday alleged that the resignations, arrests and investigations linked to the alleged “chanda-chori” (donation theft) case at the Ayodhya Shri Ram Mandir were intended only to “mislead the public”.
Addressing a press conference during his visit to Goa, Kejriwal questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi was protecting influential individuals allegedly connected to irregularities related to land deals, construction contracts and donation management at the temple.
AAP questions SIT, arrests and resignations
Kejriwal claimed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), FIR and arrests made in the case lacked credibility and were merely “cosmetic measures”.
“They have now registered a ‘farzi’ FIR and arrested eight low-level employees who merely counted cash,” he alleged.
The AAP chief claimed that despite reports of missing cash, ornaments and other valuables, only limited recoveries had been made. He further alleged that police had not sought custody of the arrested persons for detailed interrogation.
Questioning the functioning of the SIT, Kejriwal said it had allegedly informed AAP MP Sanjay Singh that investigation into land transactions was outside its jurisdiction.
“If it is not investigating the land scam or the construction scam, what is it investigating?” he asked.
{{/usCountry}}“If it is not investigating the land scam or the construction scam, what is it investigating?” he asked.
{{/usCountry}}Kejriwal also alleged that an earlier SIT formed in 2021 over land transactions had yielded no visible outcome.
Allegations over land deals and temple management
Kejriwal referred to previously reported allegations surrounding land purchases connected to the Shri Ram Mandir Trust. He claimed that certain land parcels were bought at significantly higher prices shortly after being purchased by intermediaries.
He further alleged that engineers involved in temple construction had raised concerns about commissions being sought during tender allocation.
The AAP convenor questioned how the Prime Minister could have remained unaware of alleged irregularities, given that the trust had been constituted under the Centre’s supervision and included individuals appointed by the government.
“PM Modi himself constituted the Trust, and every member of it is his own chosen person,” he said.
Kejriwal also referred to claims regarding missing valuables, deleted CCTV footage and alleged theft incidents captured on surveillance cameras.
During the press conference, he alleged that people across the country, including in Goa, felt hurt by the reports related to the temple.
He further criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that despite frequently referring to Shri Ram and the Ram Mandir in speeches, he had not visited the temple for darshan since its inauguration.
There was no immediate response from the BJP or the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust regarding the allegations made by Kejriwal.