In Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, authorities have apprehended eight individuals implicated in a First Information Report (FIR) concerning the alleged misappropriation of donations intended for the Ram temple. This action was confirmed by senior officials on Friday.

The FIR was filed following the recommendations from a preliminary report by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) established by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate these claims. Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, initiated the complaint.

All eight suspects have been detained and are currently undergoing interrogation as part of the ongoing investigation.

The individuals named in the FIR include Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ramshankar Yadav, also known as Tinnu. They were involved in the counting of cash and valuables received as donations at the temple, according to an official source.

The arrests took place late Thursday night while the suspects were still in Ayodhya. Authorities are preparing to present them before a magistrate as further questioning continues.

The FIR includes charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, such as theft by a clerk or servant, criminal breach of trust, receiving stolen property, and criminal conspiracy.

Concerns regarding the alleged embezzlement of donations first emerged on June 7. In response, the Uttar Pradesh government formed the SIT on June 13 at the request of the Trust, which submitted its preliminary findings on June 23.

The FIR was officially registered on the night of June 25, following the SIT's recommendations, and the police confirmed the arrests on Friday.

The names of some accused had been circulating on social media after Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue, leading to a significant political uproar, with demands for a criminal case from both the VHP and the Aam Aadmi Party.

Subhash Chandra Srivastava was reportedly responsible for overseeing the cash-counting team, while the other accused played various roles in the counting process.

Among those arrested is Ram Shankar Yadav, alias Tinnu Yadav, who previously served as a driver for the Trust's general secretary, Champat Rai. Tinnu has denied any involvement in the cash counting and attributed the allegations to unspecified 'jealous individuals.'

Other suspects, including Lavkush Mishra and Anukalp Mishra, were also reportedly engaged in the donation counting process. Attempts to reach senior Trust officials for comments were unsuccessful.

The SIT, led by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, has made strong recommendations in its preliminary report, emphasizing that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is taking the matter very seriously and that strict actions will be taken against anyone found guilty.

Opposition leaders have criticized the FIR as merely a facade, claiming it fails to hold senior Trust officials accountable, including general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra.