Ram Temple Donation Theft Case: Three More Accused Taken on Police Remand, Major Breakthrough Expected
Brief By Newsbrief / 2:22 PM on 08 Jul 2026
The investigation into the alleged theft of donation offerings and other valuable items from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust temple complex in Ayodhya has intensified. After questioning one of the accused, Avinash Shukla, the police have now taken three more accused into custody for further interrogation. Investigating Officer and Circle Officer (CO) Ashutosh Tiwari visited the district jail on Wednesday and took Karunesh Pandey, Lavkush Mishra and Anukalp Mishra into police custody. The court has granted 40 hours of police remand for the three accused to facilitate detailed questioning.
Earlier, the police had interrogated Avinash Shukla during a 24-hour remand, during which they recovered a car allegedly purchased using the stolen donation money, along with cash. Investigators also identified the location where the stolen money was allegedly divided among the accused. Police officials claim that Shukla's statements provided several crucial leads, prompting the remand of the other three accused. Authorities believe the fresh interrogation could help uncover more details about the theft, the distribution of the stolen funds and the involvement of others in the case.
According to sources, the police will conduct face-to-face questioning of the three accused and compare their statements with those of Avinash Shukla to verify the evidence collected so far. Investigators expect the interrogation to reveal key information regarding the stolen amount, its distribution and the overall conspiracy behind the theft. If new facts emerge, the police may identify additional suspects and make further arrests. Officials said the remand was sought to verify the information already obtained and to connect the remaining links in the investigation. The court approved the police request after hearing the matter.