The investigation into the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has taken a fresh twist, with investigators now uncovering a Varanasi connection. As the probe is underway, the spotlight has shifted beyond the alleged theft itself to the outsourcing system, banking procedures and the recruitment process of employees involved in handling temple donations. According to sources, six of the eight arrested accused were on the payroll of a Varanasi-based private security firm, Sainik Security Services Private Limited.
Sources said the agency supplied manpower to the State Bank of India's New Ghat branch in Ayodhya. The bank had reportedly sought 19 personnel to assist with cash counting operations. The Varanasi-based agency recruited employees and deputed them to SBI, following which they were assigned the responsibility of counting and handling donations received at the Ram Temple. Investigators suspect that these employees were allegedly close associates of the two key accused, Anil Mishra and Tinnu Yadav.
Employees hired for housekeeping allegedly assigned cash handling duties
According to the investigation, the agency handed over all 19 recruited employees to the SBI team for deployment. These staff members were later entrusted with counting donations and handling temple cash collections. Each employee was reportedly paid a monthly salary of around Rs 20,000. However, the probe has revealed that these workers were originally recruited for housekeeping duties but were subsequently assigned the highly sensitive responsibility of counting and managing donation cash.
Recruitment process and outsourcing system under scrutiny
Sources said the Ram Temple's daily donations and offerings were deposited at SBI's Tulsi Nagar branch in Ayodhya. The bank had engaged the Varanasi-based outsourcing agency to provide manpower for counting, sorting and securely transporting the cash. Investigators are now examining whether the recruitment process followed proper transparency and whether the responsibilities assigned to outsourced employees were appropriate. Sources also claim that some appointments may have been made based on recommendations rather than a transparent selection process.
Security agency distances itself from the controversy
Sainik Security Services owner Gaurav Singh has denied any direct connection between his company and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. He said the company's agreement was solely with the State Bank of India. According to Singh, the employees were recruited only for housekeeping work and the agency had no information about the duties assigned to them inside the Ram Temple premises.
Audit report first raised suspicion over missing donations
The investigation has also revealed that the temple trust had detected irregularities in donation collections as early as January this year. During the routine monthly audit, the chartered accountant reportedly observed a sudden decline in donation collections despite steady footfall. The audit also found discrepancies between vouchers and receipts.
The report further pointed out that expenditure exceeding Rs 5 lakh could not be properly reconciled. Following these observations, the trust reportedly sent a letter and WhatsApp messages to General Secretary Champat Rai, recommending several corrective measures.
These included:
- A detailed audit of all financial records.
- Appointment of a dedicated head for donation management.
- A separate system for handling foreign currency donations.
- Strict enforcement of staff dress code and frisking Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Greater transparency in the tendering process.
Corrective measures allegedly stalled
Sources claim that after receiving the communication, Champat Rai expressed displeasure, following which the proposed reforms and appointments did not move forward. As a result, no major corrective steps were implemented between January and May, even as donation collections continued to decline.
Spy camera exposed alleged theft during cash counting
After a further drop in donations was noticed in May, authorities secretly installed a spy camera inside the collection centre. According to sources, only a handful of officials were aware of the surveillance. The 24-hour footage allegedly captured some employees slipping currency notes into their pockets during the counting process. The recordings ultimately led to the exposure of the alleged theft between June 6 and June 7, triggering the ongoing investigation.
Probe now extends beyond theft allegations
Investigating agencies are no longer treating the case as an isolated theft. The probe has expanded to examine the entire system governing temple donation management, including:
- Recruitment of outsourced employees.
- Employee verification procedures.
- Outsourcing arrangements.
- Cash handling protocols.
- Terms and conditions of the agreement between SBI and the outsourcing agency.
Agency remains silent on contract details
Citing the ongoing investigation, Sainik Security Services has declined to comment on the contractual terms governing its engagement with SBI. The agency has also not disclosed the recruitment criteria followed while appointing employees deputed for the assignment. Police and investigating agencies are continuing a detailed probe to determine whether there were wider lapses in the system and whether additional individuals or organisations bear responsibility.
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