A 3-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) is investigating the case of alleged manipulation and embezzlement of the amount of offerings in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple of Ayodhya. As the investigation is progressing, new revelations are being made in this case. While on one hand the role of the accused employees and related people is being investigated, on the other hand serious questions are being raised regarding the accountability of the top officials of the Trust. The biggest question is that without an impartial investigation into the role of the officers and officials under whose supervision the entire system operated, will the truth be able to come out?
In the temple trust system, it has been claimed that there is a multi-level monitoring system for the security of offerings, collection, counting and the process of depositing them in the bank. Despite this, if the alleged irregularities continued for a long time, it has become a major subject of investigation whether it was merely the handiwork of a few employees or a major failure of the monitoring system.
The discussion is also intense regarding the responsibilities of Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, Gopal and other key officials. The question has arisen before the officials who play an important role in monitoring the operation and financial arrangements of the temple as to why the information about the alleged irregularities in such a big system could not be received in time. If there was information then why was no action taken? If there was no information then it would be natural to question the effectiveness of the monitoring system.
Since the matter came to light, there has been very limited public reaction from the top officials of the Trust. This is the reason why opposition parties, social organizations and some petitioners have started raising apprehensions about the impartiality of the investigation. He argues that when the scope of investigation can reach the temple administration and financial system, then an impartial review of the role of people holding responsible positions is also necessary.
According to sources, the biggest challenge before the investigating agencies will not only be to trace the amount of alleged embezzlement, but also to understand the entire system and chain of accountability. It will also be seen who were involved in the process of counting, record maintenance and verification of offerings and at what level monitoring lapses occurred.
