Exclusive: Audit flagged donation record gaps at Ram Temple trust years before SIT probe
In a significant development, an exclusive investigation has revealed that an audit conducted in 2020 had flagged serious record-keeping gaps in the management of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, six years before the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged misappropriation. The audit firm described the trust's management as 'highly unprofessional' and noted the absence of a 'systematic record' of donations.
The audit, commissioned shortly after the trust's formation, recommended the drafting of a Systematic Operating Process (SOP) for efficient management, including frameworks for transactions, data management, staff, and other resources. However, as of now, these recommendations have not been implemented, raising questions about accountability and transparency.
In other news, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh, speaking at the Express Adda in Delhi, emphasised that regional parties that lose their ideological moorings face challenges, citing examples like the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. He noted that the Telugu Desam Party has remained rooted in its ideology despite electoral ups and downs.
The historic Lipulekh Pass, a trade route connecting India and Tibet via Uttarakhand, is set to reopen after seven years. Closed first due to the pandemic and later due to border tensions between India and China, the pass holds strategic and economic significance. The Indian Express travelled to this remote trijunction area to document its reopening.
In a shocking crime, Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal (25) was allegedly murdered by his fiancée Siya Praveen Goyal (20) and her lover Chetan Babulal Chaudhary (22) at Lohagad Hill fort. What initially appeared to be an accidental fall was later revealed as a planned killing, based on technical evidence and intelligence inputs.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has attacked Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav over land purchases linked to his family, questioning the potential conflict of interest. State Congress president Jitu Patwari alleged that the BJP government was synonymous with corruption and demanded answers.
In Lucknow, a fire at an Aliganj building killed 15 people. Investigations revealed that a demolition order issued a decade ago for unauthorised construction had been revoked after the owner claimed he was not given a hearing. The Lucknow Development Authority confirmed that a 15-day notice had been issued before the demolition decision was reversed.
