Ayodhya land deal: Manish Sisodia alleges 'scam' by Ram temple trust

Manish Sisodia's remarks come a day after AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh along with Samajwadi Party leader Pawan Pandey said it was a case of money laundering and sought a probe by the CBI and the ED into the matter.

Deputy chief minister of Delhi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Monday accused the Ram temple trust of buying a piece of land for the proposed shrine in Ayodhya at an inflated price. He said the trust was partaking in a "scam" and highlighted that the temple is being built using donations made by people and their hard-earned money should not be misused.

AAP leader Manish Sisodia said the trust was partaking in a "scam" and highlighted that the temple is being built using donations made by people and their hard-earned money should not be misused. (PTI)

He further urged the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to not play with the sentiments of the people.

"The Ram Janmabhoomi Trust has purchased a piece of land in Ayodhya for ₹18.5 crore. It was sold for just ₹2 crore five minutes before it was bought by the Ram temple trust. There has been a scam in purchasing this land for the pious work of building the Ram temple. The Trust must clarify why the land was bought at such a high price," he said at a press conference in Delhi.

"The temple is being built using donations made by people and their sentiments are attached to it. My request to them (Ram temple trust) is only that they should not play with the sentiments of the people who donated their hard-earned money for the temple," he added.

Sisodia's remarks come a day after AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh along with Samajwadi Party leader Pawan Pandey said it was a case of money laundering and sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the matter.

Singh accused the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai, of purchasing 1.208 hectares of land worth ₹2 crore in Ayodhya's Bag Bjaisi village for ₹18.5 crore with the help of trust member Anil Mishra, according to news agency PTI.

On Monday, Singh, who was also present at Sisodia's press conference, said that Anil Mishra, trustee of the Ram temple trust, and Rishikesh Upadhyay, mayor of Ayodhya, were present during the finalisation of both the sale agreements.

Meanwhile, Rai refuted the allegations in a strongly worded statement. "Allegations of assassinating Mahatma Gandhi were also levelled against us. We do not fear allegations. I will study the allegations levelled against us and probe them," he said.