“Can low-level employees tamper with thousands of crores?”: Priyanka Gandhi demands fair probe in Ram Mandir donation row

NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has raised questions over alleged embezzlement of donations to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, referring to possible “complicity of big players” behind the incident and strict action against those found guilty.

In a post on X, she questioned whether such alleged irregularities could be carried out by lower-level employees alone and suggested possible involvement of big players behind the incident. “This question is also crucial: Can mere low-level employees, on their own, turn off CCTV cameras and tamper with thousands of crores in offerings, or is there complicity of some big players behind it?” she wrote.

She further demanded an impartial probe and strict punishment for those involved, while cautioning against any attempt to suppress the matter. “In this case, instead of a cover-up in the name of investigation, there should be a transparent probe, and whoever is involved in this act of theft must receive severe punishment,” she said.

सत्य और धर्म को स्थापित करने वाले मर्यादा पुरुषोत्तम भगवान राम और उनके करोड़ों भक्तों की आस्था के साथ जो चोरी और लूट का कपटपूर्ण कृत्य किया गया है, उसने पूरे देश को स्तब्ध कर दिया है।

भगवान राम करोड़ों मन का पवित्र भाव हैं। उसी पवित्र भाव से लोग मंदिर में माथा टेकते हैं और दान…

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) June 26, 2026

Highlighting the emotional and religious significance of the temple for devotees, she termed the alleged act deeply disturbing. “The act of deceitful theft and looting committed against the faith of Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram, who upholds truth and righteousness, and his millions of devotees, has stunned the entire nation,” she wrote.

She further added that devotees offer donations with deep faith and that any misuse of such offerings amounts to a serious violation of religious trust. “Lord Ram is the sacred sentiment of millions of hearts. It is with that very sacred sentiment that people bow their heads in the temple and offer donations. Those who have stolen from the Ram Temple have committed the gravest sin of shattering the fundamental spirit of religion and faith,” she added.

On Friday, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust General Secretary Champat Rai and member trustee Anil Mishra resigned on Friday, taking moral responsibility for the alleged embezzlement of Ram Mandir donations. The developments came after a First Information Report was registered in the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The case has been filed under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61 and 3(5), on the directions of the Uttar Pradesh Government. Those who have been named in the FIR are: Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinnu Yadav, Manish Yadav and others. This action followed allegations by former SP MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, who claimed that between Rs 27 crore and Rs 7.5 crore in donations were misappropriated from the Ram Mandir.

In response to these claims, the state government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 14 to probe the alleged scam, acting on a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. (ANI)