The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Monday accepted the resignations of General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged donation theft case. The Trust also appointed newly inducted trustee Krishna Mohan as the Interim General Secretary and announced a fresh administrative review.
The decisions were taken during a meeting that lasted for more than three hours at the Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya. The Trust said it would hold another meeting on July 22 to review the final report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and decide on permanent appointments to key positions.
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Addressing the media after the meeting, Trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri said the controversy had deeply affected the organisation. He stated that the issue was not about the value of the alleged theft but about maintaining the Trust’s credibility and public confidence.
According to Govind Giri, Champat Rai voluntarily resigned after expressing that it would not be appropriate for him to continue as General Secretary until those responsible for the alleged theft were identified and brought to justice. He added that under the Trust’s constitution, a resignation becomes effective immediately upon submission, leaving no scope for acceptance or rejection.
The Trust also entrusted Krishna Mohan, a retired Indian Forest Service officer and newly appointed trustee, with the responsibilities of Interim General Secretary until further arrangements are made. Administrative appointments will be reviewed after the SIT submits its findings later this month.
Responding to allegations that donated valuables had also gone missing, Govind Giri firmly rejected the claims. He said the Trust maintains a register containing records of nearly 2,800 donated items and asserted that every article remains fully accounted for. To reinforce its position, the Trust displayed several donated items as samples and reiterated that all offerings made to the Ram Temple are safe and properly documented.
