Ayodhya | The investigation into the alleged theft of donations from the Ram Temple has entered a new phase, with investigators expanding their probe beyond the theft itself to examine the temple’s security arrangements and the financial activities of the accused. According to sources, the role of nearly 400 private security personnel deployed at the temple complex is being scrutinised. However, no security guard has been formally charged so far, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Investigators are analysing duty rosters, deployment records, entry and exit logs, CCTV footage and other available evidence to determine whether established security protocols governing the movement of donation collections were properly followed or whether any lapses occurred.
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Sources said private security personnel were deployed at the temple’s main entry and exit points, the pilgrims’ pathway and the routes used for transporting donation collections. Investigators are also examining whether any individuals were allowed access or movement without the mandatory security checks. If credible evidence establishes negligence or deliberate misconduct by any security personnel, legal action will be taken in accordance with the law.
The probe has also expanded to the temple’s surveillance system. Police and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) are reviewing how the alleged theft could have occurred despite the presence of nearly 1,600 CCTV cameras across the temple premises. Investigators are examining the functioning of the surveillance network, recording systems and related monitoring procedures.
Apart from investigating the incident itself, authorities are conducting a detailed financial examination of the eight arrested accused. Police have sought complete details of their movable and immovable assets, bank accounts, investments, jewellery and other valuable possessions acquired over the past three years. The objective is to determine whether there is any disproportionate difference between their declared income and accumulated assets.
According to sources, investigators are matching the accused persons’ income with their expenditure. Bank records, property documents and other financial records are being examined to trace how the allegedly misappropriated donation money may have been used. Properties purchased in the names of family members and close relatives are also under scrutiny as part of the financial investigation.
The assets of Lavkush, Anukalp and Tinnu Yadav are currently among the primary focus areas of the investigation. According to sources, investigators are examining land purchased in the name of Lavkush’s wife and the investment made in the construction of a three-storey house on the property. Authorities are also verifying Anukalp’s movable and immovable assets, while Tinnu Yadav’s bank accounts and jewellery recovered during the investigation are being scrutinised. Further legal action will depend on the financial evidence uncovered during the ongoing probe.
Commenting on the case, renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said that in major financial embezzlement and organised crime investigations, arresting the principal accused alone is not sufficient. He said that analysing the money trail, digital records, banking transactions, CCTV evidence and assets through forensic methods plays a crucial role in determining how allegedly misappropriated funds were utilised and identifying everyone involved. According to him, the coordinated examination of financial evidence and electronic records remains one of the most effective ways to uncover the full extent of organised criminal networks.
