Ayodhya: Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, the designated successor to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, on Tuesday said that no one wanted Champat Rai to step down as the General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, even as the Trust accepted his resignation following the controversy surrounding the alleged Ram Temple donation irregularities.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday accepted the resignations of General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra. It also appointed retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Krishna Mohan as the interim General Secretary to oversee the day-to-day functioning of the Ram Temple Trust.
The development marks a significant turn in the controversy surrounding the alleged irregularities in Ram Temple donations, a matter that has sparked public debate over the management of one of the country’s most revered religious institutions.
The meeting of the Trust, chaired by Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and attended by members, including Vishwaprasannatirth and Swami Parmanand Giri, was convened to deliberate on the fallout of the alleged donation embezzlement case. The Trust accepted the resignations on moral grounds, in accordance with its constitution, paving the way for new leadership.
Reacting to the development, Kamal Nayan Das Ji Maharaj told IANS, “Baseless allegations were spread everywhere, claiming, ‘We donated this, it has been stolen, it has been stolen.’ Every item that was offered has been produced before everyone along with the registers.”
“Everything is safe and secure. The items were also displayed for the media to inspect. Even all the registers were placed before them. Whatever was donated is here, including the cash. You can verify everything. No one wanted this. Not just the trustees, but no one in Ayodhya wanted it. Nobody wished for Champat Rai to resign,” he alleged.
Ram Mandir Trust member Dinendra Das also expressed the view that Champat Rai was not at fault and questioned the decision to accept his resignation.
Speaking on the issue, he said, “Regarding Champat Rai ji’s resignation, everyone has said that there was no mistake on his part. I also said there was no mistake, so his resignation should not have been accepted. But we were told that he had submitted it in writing, so it had to be accepted.”
“Anil Mishra’s name also came up. If Anil Mishra is considered at fault, then Gopal Das, who was with him, should also be held responsible. Krishna Mohan has been arguing the matter. They are acting according to what the members have decided,” he added.
Meanwhile, Manish Das, Mahant of Patthar Temple, described the developments as “unfortunate” but welcomed the Trust’s decision, saying it reflected accountability.
Speaking to IANS, Manish Das said, “What happened was very unfortunate. The process of reform is underway, and it is a good thing that the Trust has taken a positive decision. Champat Rai set an example of moral responsibility, and that is how it should have been. It was his responsibility to resign on moral grounds, and the fact that he did so is welcome.”
Krishna Mohan, a newly inducted trustee who had earlier filed a complaint on which the police filed an FIR, triggering the probe, now holds interim charge.
The scandal first surfaced prominently in June when discrepancies in donation counting came to light.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government conducted a preliminary probe and recommended action. On June 25, 2026, an FIR was registered at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station based on a complaint by Krishna Mohan. The FIR named eight individuals, including close aides linked to Champat Rai, such as his driver Tinnu Yadav (Ramashankar Yadav).
The other accused included Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, and Ramashankar Mishra, all trust employees, and retired bank official Subhash Srivastava. All eight were arrested in swift police action. Their premises were raided, and other actions, including land deals, are under the scanner.
(IANS)
