Overview
The Congress on 19 October 2026 accused the central and state leadership of turning a blind eye to the massive theft of offerings from the Ram Temple. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh demanded a transparent, Supreme Court‑supervised inquiry and called for a public accounting of all donations.
Key Developments
- Congress labels the theft as a "chanda chori" and blames the BJP for protecting the culprits.
- The SIT submitted a clean‑chit report to the temple trust on 17 August 2026, exonerating senior officials Champat Rai and Anil Mishra.
- Video evidence captured 105 instances of unauthorised cash removal between 27 April and 5 June 2026.
- Eight low‑level staff were arrested on 26 June 2026, but no former trust office‑bearer has been named in the FIR.
- Congress urges the Supreme Court to oversee an independent probe.
Important Facts
The theft came to light on 4 June 2026. Within nine days, the Uttar Pradesh government formed the SIT at the request of the temple trust. A preliminary report dated 23 June 2026 highlighted lapses such as an unattended control room and ignored oversight protocols. Despite these findings, the investigation was closed without disclosing the total value of cash and precious items stolen.
Key questions raised by Congress include:
- Why were senior officials like Champat Rai shielded from scrutiny?
- Why did the ED and CBI not interrogate higher‑level suspects?
- Why was there a 21‑day delay in filing the FIR after the video reached the trust?
Exam Relevance
This case touches upon several GS topics:
- Polity (GS2): Role of investigative agencies, accountability of elected officials, and the functioning of the Supreme Court in supervising probes.
- Governance (GS2): Transparency in public‑private trusts, audit mechanisms, and the impact of political patronage on law enforcement.
- Ethics (GS4): Moral responsibility of leaders to address corruption and protect public faith.
Way Forward
For a credible resolution, the following steps are suggested:
- Order a fresh, independent inquiry under the Supreme Court with representation from opposition parties.
- Mandate the public disclosure of the total amount of cash and valuables stolen.
- Ensure that senior officials, including the trust treasurer and former office‑bearers, are questioned by the CBI or ED.
- Strengthen internal audit and control room protocols for all religious trusts to prevent future lapses.
These measures would reinforce institutional accountability and restore public confidence in the governance of religious institutions.