The investigation into the alleged donation theft at the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya continues to gather pace, with fresh disclosures emerging during the interrogation of the arrested accused. While the Opposition has continued to target the government over the incident, the Ayodhya Police and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) are pressing ahead with their probe. According to sources, the questioning of the accused has revealed details about how the alleged thefts were planned and executed in an organised manner. Investigators are now examining these claims alongside CCTV footage and other evidence collected during the investigation.
Accused allegedly assigned roles before every shift
According to sources familiar with the investigation, the accused allegedly operated as an organised group, with specific responsibilities assigned before reporting for duty. Investigators claim that the planning allegedly took place over phone calls in the morning, during which each person's role was decided in advance. The responsibilities reportedly included deciding who would remove the currency notes from the donation box and who would stand in front of CCTV cameras to obstruct the view and avoid recording the alleged theft.
Sources further said that CCTV footage recovered during the investigation has supported several aspects of the accused's statements. During the review of the footage, Avinash and Manish were allegedly seen on multiple occasions concealing currency notes inside their clothes while straightening the cash. Other accused, including Anukalp, Karunesh, Lavkush and others, were allegedly positioned in front of CCTV cameras during the theft to block the recording, according to the investigation.
SIT report claims accused seen stealing nearly 70 times
According to the SIT's findings, the accused were allegedly captured on CCTV carrying out similar acts on around 70 occasions. Sources said the stolen money was generally divided equally among the accused. However, investigators suspect that Avinash allegedly retained a larger share on some occasions.
The SIT has also claimed that Avinash and Manish appeared most frequently in the CCTV footage during the alleged thefts. Investigators are also probing the deletion of certain CCTV footage. Police suspect that the accused may have had access to the CCTV control room, though the matter remains under investigation.
Police to seek remand of Tinnu and Subhash
The investigation has also brought Tinnu Yadav and Subhash Srivastava under the scanner. According to investigators, CCTV footage allegedly shows both individuals present at the site on several occasions during the alleged thefts. Police are planning to seek their custodial remand to determine whether they were aware of the alleged thefts and to establish whether they had any role in the alleged organised operation.
The court is scheduled to hear the police's remand application against Tinnu Yadav and Subhash Srivastava on July 14. So far, eight accused have been taken into police custody in connection with the Ram Temple donation theft case.
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