Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust general secretary Champat Rai could be asked to resign and take moral responsibility in connection with the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case, sources told India TV on Friday.
The development comes after his key aide Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav and seven others -- Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Lav Kush Mishra, Rama Shankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava -- were arrested over the arrested in the case.
The action against the eight accused came after a first information report (FIR) was registered against them on Thursday under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on the CCTV footage. But it is worth noting that no case has been registered against Rai till now.
Rai, a leader of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), has been serving as the trust's general secretary since February 2020, but has been in the centre of the controversy of alleged theft case that has sparked a political storm in Uttar Pradesh where assembly elections will be held next year.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress have lambasted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government, saying the alleged theft is a betrayal of people and demanded action against Rai and other members of the trust, including Anil Mishra, Gopal Rao and chairperson Nripendra Mishra. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal has also demanded stern action against the accused.
Under fire from the opposition, the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under Lucknow Division Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant to probe the matter. It has said that the guilty will not be spared and "strong, strict" action will be taken.
Based on the SIT's probe and recommendations, more action is likely to be taken and further arrests could likely be made. Adityanath has also promised actions, while hitting out at the opposition for politicising the issue and attempting to prevent the construction of the Ram Temple.
"I can assure you that the SIT inquiry will bring out the complete truth without any doubt. At the same time, I urge all sides not to make any inflammatory remarks or statements that hurt the sentiments of Ram devotees. If anyone has documentary evidence, they should submit it to the SIT," Adityanath said on June 19.
ALSO READ - 'Champat Rai's loyalty cannot be questioned': Nripendra Mishra's EXCLUSIVE on Ram Temple donation row
