Authorities in Ayodhya, India, have arrested eight individuals accused of embezzling donations from the Ram Temple. The arrests followed a First Information Report (FIR) filed on June 25, 2026, based on recommendations from a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Uttar Pradesh government. Those detained include Lovkush Mishra, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Manish Yadav, Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Subhash Chandra Srivastava, and Karunesh Pandey. They face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for theft, criminal breach of trust, fraud, and conspiracy.

The case originated after allegations surfaced on June 7 that temple donation funds were being misappropriated. The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust requested an SIT probe, which submitted its preliminary report on June 23. Opposition parties have accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of shielding senior trust officials, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that action was taken strictly on the SIT’s findings.

The Ram Temple, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2024, has received substantial donations since opening. Officials said discrepancies were found only in the counting of cash from donation boxes, not in direct receipt-based contributions.