The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has expanded its investigation to examine over Rs 124 crore spent by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on three major religious events
The Ram Lalla consecration ceremony in January 2024, arrangements during the 2025 Maha Kumbh, and the Ram Temple flag-hoisting ceremony held in November 2025, sources said.
According to sources, the SIT is auditing the trust’s financial records for the past two years, including payment vouchers, bills, audit reports, expenditure statements and chartered accountant records, to verify whether funds were spent in accordance with the trust’s prescribed financial procedures and approval mechanisms.
Sources emphasised that the exercise is part of a broader financial audit and that investigators have not reached any conclusions regarding financial irregularities. The probe is aimed at verifying compliance with the trust’s internal financial rules.
The expanded scrutiny comes in the wake of the ongoing donation theft case involving the trust. The Uttar Pradesh government had constituted the SIT to investigate allegations of embezzlement of devotees’ offerings. While several accused have been arrested in the case, investigators have since widened the scope of the probe to examine the trust’s financial systems, expenditure records and approval processes.
The biggest expenditure under review is the Rs 113 crore spent on the January 22, 2024, consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla, one of the country’s largest religious events, which was attended by around 8,000 guests. According to records under examination, the trust spent Rs 35.97 crore on sheds and tent-city infrastructure, Rs 30.85 crore on the Akshat Pujan campaign, Rs 21.77 crore on publicity and advertisements, and Rs 14.62 crore on decoration and lighting, among other expenses.
The SIT is also scrutinising Rs 83 lakh spent on the first Pratishtha Dwadashi celebrations held in January 2025, including Rs 52 lakh on lighting and decoration. Investigators are further reviewing Rs 43 lakh spent on facilities for devotees during the 2025 Maha Kumbh.
Another focus of the investigation is the Rs 10.12 crore expenditure on the Ram Temple flag-hoisting ceremony held on November 25, 2025, which was attended by nearly 6,000 guests, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SIT is verifying whether approvals, payment procedures and head-wise expenditures for the event complied with the trust’s financial regulations.
Investigators are also cross-checking records of gold and silver donated to Ram Lalla. Trust documents show devotees donated 2.3 kg of gold and 83.3 kg of silver between November 2024 and February 2025, while another 1.5 kg of gold and 28 kg of silver were received during the Maha Kumbh. The SIT is verifying inventory records, storage arrangements and the current status of the donated valuables.
The trust has maintained that all donations and valuables remain safe and properly accounted for and has expressed confidence in the SIT investigation. It has also announced steps to strengthen transparency and oversight after the controversy, which led to the resignations of General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra. Sources added that investigators are also examining whether detailed expenditure statements for these high-value events were formally placed before meetings of the trust for approval.
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