Ayodhya Police on Thursday got 24-hour custody of Avinash Shukla, one of the eight arrested accused in the Ram temple donation theft case, a day after he was questioned in jail following the alleged seizure of cash and incriminating documents from his home.
Seeking two-day custody of Shukla, the police told the court that they want to take him to some of the places for the recovery of cash.
Sources said that fresh searches at his home had led to the recovery of Rs 20.39 lakh in denominations of Rs 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, and 10; and USD 1,121 in the denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, and 1. The maximum cash was in Rs 500 denomination – over 3000 currency notes.
“The court had earlier granted permission to interrogate Shukla inside the jail to corroborate the recovery of the cash from him earlier by the trustees and verify the details about his duty in the temple. Following the verification along with his questioning inside the jail, we filed the application in the court on Wednesday seeking his custody for recovery of cash,” said a senior police officer involved in the probe.
The police are believed to be taking Shukla to his native village, Babupur, in the Maheshganj area of Pratapgarh district, and later to Kaushalpuri locality in Ayodhya city, where he used to live with his elder brother Amit, who is a teacher.
Police have so far arrested eight people, including Shukla, in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donation money. The other seven are Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, and Subhash Srivastav.
Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu, considered to be close to the general secretary of the Temple Trust, Champat Rai, had exercised his influence to recruit his nephew Manish in the counting job, while Lavkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Ramashankar Mishra, Karunesh Pandey, and Subhash Srivastav allegedly got the help of trustee Anil Mishra to get the job of counting cash.
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On Monday, they were sent to 14-day judicial custody by a local court.
Meanwhile, the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) has served a notice to the family of one of the arrested accused, Luvkush Mishra, over alleged encroachment of government land. According to the ADA, Mishra’s under-construction house at Banbirpur locality is built on government land. The family has been given 15 days to submit a reply and confirm about vacating the land and removing the encroachment, failing which will lead to the demolition of a portion of their house.
Lawyers demand FIR against Champat Rai
A group of lawyers, led by Ayodhya Bar Association president, Kalika Prasad Mishra, on Thursday marched to Ramjanmabhumi police station and demanded registration of an FIR against Champat Rai, the general secretary of Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, trustees Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao in connection with the alleged theft and embezzlement of donation money.
The bar association had earlier announced that they won’t defend the accused in this case and warned of a penalty of Rs 5 lakh per accused for any lawyer who wished to represent them.
Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.
Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.
Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More
