Champat Rai not upset about stepping down, supports new system: treasurer of Ram temple trust

Govind Dev Giri, Treasurer Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. File | Photo credit: ANI

Temple Trust Treasurer Ram Govind Dev Giri said on Thursday (July 9, 2026) that Champat Rai is not upset after she resigned as its general secretary over alleged theft of donations, and fully supports the implementation of a new temple management system.

“I met Champat Rai ji yesterday mainly to check his health. He is healthy, solution oriented and has no concerns about his resignation,” Mr Giri told reporters here.

Mr. Giri has been staying here since the July 6 meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust where Mr. Rai’s resignation was accepted along with that of another trustee Anil Mishra.

A day after the meeting, Mr. Rai said in a letter to “Ram devotees” that he would respond to the allegations against him after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations submitted its final report.

Along with the letter, an alleged statement submitted by the SIT questioning the role of the State Bank of India in the process of counting donations at the Ram temple also came to light.

Mr Giri, who claimed that Mr Rai remained “spotless” in his eyes but had trusted the “wrong people” for too long, allowing the alleged embezzlement to go undetected, visited Mr Rai after his letter.

“He (Champat) is an old veteran who has dedicated his life to the country. He fully supports the introduction of the new system (of temple management) and is not upset or angry,” Mr Giri told the media about his meeting with Mr Rai on Wednesday (July 8, 2026), which apparently lasted several hours.

“I have also met the seers of Ayodhya who agree and are happy with the introduction of the new temple management system,” he said.

Mr. Giri said the trust is committed to implementing changes that improve the temple’s management system, and everyone agreed.

Mr. Rai was replaced by former IFS officer and administrator Krishna Mohan, who filed a police complaint against eight people who have since been arrested based on a preliminary SIT report.

The Trust has also set up a three-member committee to identify the CEO. The panel comprises retired Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lt. Gen. Vishnukant Chaturvedi and Administrator Suresh Haware.

The trust will meet next on July 22 to discuss these and other measures as part of a plan to plug the gaps that led to the alleged donation theft.

A major controversy erupted in the first week of June after alleged irregularities were found in the counting of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Uttar Pradesh government set up the SIT on the recommendation of the trust. The SIT found prima facie evidence of embezzlement, following which an FIR was registered and eight people associated with counting donations at the temple were arrested. Further investigation is underway.

Published – 9 Jul 2026 14:46 IST