Ram Mandir Trust Meets Today to Decide on Champat Rai, Anil Mishra Resignations

The Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust faces one of its most consequential internal meetings since its formation, with its executive committee set to take up resignations, donation-related allegations and calls for more professional management of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The meeting is scheduled for 3pm at the temple complex.

The immediate focus will be on the resignations of general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, both prominent figures in the trust’s functioning. The issue has gained urgency after arrests linked to alleged irregularities in temple donations and the recovery of nearly ₹80 lakh by police from those held in the case.

Ram Mandir trust meeting to take up resignations and SIT probe

Trust official Gopal Rao said the venue of the meeting has been shifted from the Mani Ram Chhavni campus to the Ram Mandir. Swami Govind Dev Giri, treasurer of the trust, is expected to place the resignations of Rai and Mishra before the executive committee. Both are also expected to present their positions during the meeting.

The meeting is the first formal gathering of the executive committee since the allegations surfaced. The agenda includes the resignations, the ongoing probe by the Uttar Pradesh government’s three-member Special Investigation Team, and the broader management of the temple. The audit report and the financial statement for 2025-26 are also listed for discussion.

People aware of the matter said the trust may also consider appointing a chief executive officer to bring more structured and professional management to the temple administration. Such a move would mark a significant shift for a body that has so far relied heavily on trustees and religious functionaries for decision-making.

Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, a member of the trust, said professional management was necessary to prevent controversies. “If such an incident has taken place, it is condemnable,” he said, referring to the allegations under investigation. “Such a crime cannot be accepted,” he added.

Donation irregularities case puts trust governance under scrutiny

Police have so far arrested eight people in connection with the alleged irregularities. They have been identified as Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav 'Tinnu’, Manish Yadav, Subhash Srivastava, Avinash Shukla, Rama Shankar Mishra and Karunesh Pandey.

According to details that have emerged from the investigation, Anukalp Mishra and Lavkush Mishra are related to each other and also to trustee Anil Mishra. Ram Shankar Yadav is described as an aide of Champat Rai, while Manish Yadav is related to him. These links have made the internal review more sensitive for the trust.

Last week, police seized ₹79,85,493 from the arrested men. The cash was allegedly recovered from unusual hiding places, including bathrooms, haystacks and cow dung cakes. The recovery has intensified questions over how donations were handled, monitored and protected within the system.

The allegations have also triggered a political dispute. Opposition leaders have raised questions over accountability, while the BJP has accused political rivals of trying to draw mileage from a matter connected with the faith of millions. The issue has therefore moved beyond internal administration and into a wider debate over transparency.

Attendance uncertainty may affect trust decision

The trust was constituted on February 5, 2020, after the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Ayodhya title dispute. It originally had 15 members, including four ex officio members and 11 others. Since then, vacancies and health-related concerns have complicated the trust’s functioning.

Among the 11 nominated members, Kameshwar Chaupal and Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra died in 2025. Krishna Mohan, a retired Indian Forest Service officer, was appointed in place of Chaupal in September 2025. Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra’s position remains vacant.

Several senior members are also unwell or of advanced age. Chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, 89, has returned to Ayodhya after treatment at a private hospital in Lucknow and is expected to chair the meeting. Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati has also reached Ayodhya for the deliberations.

Other elderly members include Swami Paramanand and senior advocate Keshav Parasaran. Their health and availability are important because, under the trust deed, a two-thirds majority is required to approve resignations. This makes attendance a key factor in any decision on Rai and Mishra.

Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati has ruled out the need to reconstitute the trust. He said the body was formed on Supreme Court orders and did not require structural change. However, he underlined that professional systems were needed to ensure such controversies do not occur again.

The debate over transparency has also reached Parliament. Rajya Sabha member John Brittas has questioned the Centre’s position that the trust falls outside the Right to Information Act. He has argued that the government’s institutional presence in the trust cannot be ignored merely by describing it as autonomous.

For the trust, the immediate challenge is to contain the damage caused by the allegations while ensuring temple operations continue without disruption. The decisions taken at the meeting will be watched closely, not only for the fate of two senior members but also for signals on how the Ram Mandir will be managed in the years ahead.