Ex-Ram Temple trust chief Champat Rai breaks silence, calls donation theft allegations 'baseless'

In a handwritten open letter addressed to devotees of Lord Ram, Rai said he had taken a vow of silence following the controversy and would break it only after the investigation is complete.

"Since June 7, 2026, various discussions and rumours have been circulating regarding the theft during the counting of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. Personally, baseless allegations have been levelled against me. I have taken a vow of silence," Rai wrote in Hindi.

Resigned amid donation theft row

Rai resigned as the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on moral grounds, and his resignation was accepted on Monday.

The temple trust, which manages the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, has been at the centre of a major controversy after investigators alleged that crores of rupees were embezzled during the counting of donations.

Eight people have been arrested in connection with the case, with investigators alleging that several of the accused were living lifestyles disproportionate to their known incomes.

Rai has also been questioned by the SIT as part of the ongoing investigation.

'Will respond after final SIT report'

Referring to the Trust's meeting held on July 6, Rai said the SIT's preliminary report had been presented before trustees and was later leaked despite being confidential.

"In the meeting of the Temple Trust concluded on July 6, the preliminary report of the SIT was presented. This report has now become public. After the final report is submitted, I will respond point by point in chronological order," he said.

The Opposition has demanded a probe into Rai's alleged role in the donation theft case.

Preliminary probe points to security lapses

According to the preliminary SIT findings, theft and misappropriation allegedly took place during the counting of donations. Investigators reportedly found around 70 instances in CCTV footage showing counting staff concealing bundles of currency notes and loose cash.

The report also noted that the alleged embezzlement was made possible due to the failure to effectively implement prescribed security measures.

'My life has been an open book'

Rai maintained that he had nothing to hide and expressed confidence that the truth would emerge.

"My life as a Pracharak spans 45 years. Wherever I have worked, my life has been an open book. The truth will come out," he said.

Following Rai's resignation, the Trust has appointed trustee Krishna Mohan as the interim general secretary.

It has also constituted a three-member search committee, comprising retired judge Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and trustee Suresh Haware, to identify a new chief executive officer (CEO).