Security Lapse at Ram Mandir: Revised SOP Allowed Donation Theft, Says SIT Report
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing allegations of misappropriation of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has found that a revised standard operating procedure (SOP) issued in February 2025 relaxed security protocols at the counting centre, facilitating theft.
According to the SIT's preliminary report, the revised SOP, issued on February 6, 2025, by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and the bank concerned, changed the frisking requirement from mandatory to random. This dilution allowed unauthorised removal of donations and valuables, the report notes.
The revision came during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, a week after the largest ritual bathing day on January 29, 2025. The timing of the change has drawn scrutiny, though the report does not establish a direct link to the Kumbh event.
The SIT found that statements from bank officials and deposits in the accounts of those accused indicate that theft and embezzlement began before April 2025. However, a precise assessment was hampered by the lack of CCTV footage from that earlier period.
Former Ram Temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai, in a letter on Tuesday, stated he would speak only after the SIT report is made public. Sources indicate he has also written to the SIT, distancing himself from the February 6 SOP, noting that the earlier 2024 SOP bore his signature but the revised one did not. Rai has reportedly requested the SIT to investigate how the revised SOP was issued and who was involved.
The earlier SOP mandated proper frisking for all persons entering and leaving the counting room. The SIT's initial inquiry found that personnel involved in the theft had deposited disproportionate amounts in their bank accounts, suggesting ongoing irregularities.
The SIT recommended further investigation into the matter, emphasising that the relaxed security measures enabled the theft by not enforcing procedures such as mandatory entry and exit frisking, uniform requirements, restrictions on personal belongings, and item-wise authentication.
