Shillong: The three-member Special Investigation Team tasked by the Yogi Adityanath government is intensifying its probe into the Ram Temple embezzlement controversy. Investigators are set to conduct a follow-up questioning of key suspect Ram Shankar Yadav on Friday to verify his statements against gathered evidence.
Yadav remains under scrutiny for allegedly diverting 50 crore rupees in temple funds to construct a luxury residence. His association with Ram Temple Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai has intensified public interest in the case. The SIT, which is now in its fifth day of active investigation, has already questioned a dozen staff members and officials associated with the temple.
Beyond personal questioning, the probe has expanded to include a rigorous audit of gold and silver offerings. Officials are currently cross-referencing physical jewelry and ornament logs with official donation records to identify discrepancies. The team is also reviewing the land records of the accused to trace the flow of misappropriated assets.
The investigation follows claims from Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav regarding the theft of crores in unaccounted donations. Authorities intend to use the findings to determine the full scope of the alleged financial misconduct. As the government team works to finalize its report, they seek to establish a clear link between actual donations and official documentation, noting that these "gaps between donations in the form of gold, jewellery and their record with the temple authorities" will define the scale of the embezzlement.
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