AYODHYA: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is set to hold a key meeting on Monday with the resignations of its general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra expected to take centre stage amid ongoing investigations into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations.The Trust is also likely to review the progress of the probe and discuss its future administrative structure, Trust sources told PTI.The meeting will be held at Mani Ram Chhawni, the monastery of Trust president Nritya Gopal Das. Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri has asked all regular and ex-officio members to attend the deliberations.Sources told PTI that Trust president Nritya Gopal Das, who is currently hospitalised in critical condition, and senior trustee K Parasaran, who is unable to travel due to age-related health issues, may participate through video conferencing.According to sources, the Trust is expected to discuss the resignations submitted by Champat Rai and Anil Mishra after allegations surfaced in the donation embezzlement case.If the resignations are accepted, members are also likely to deliberate on restructuring the Trust’s administrative set-up. The role of special invitee Gopal Rao is also expected to come up for discussion.The meeting is also likely to include a briefing on the interim findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement, along with discussions on the future management of the Ram temple.According to sources, the Trust will also consider and approve the unaudited income and expenditure statement, balance sheet and other financial documents for the 2025-26 financial year.Furthermore, discussions regarding the appointment of a chief executive officer to oversee the management of the Ram temple are anticipated to take place during the meeting, sources told PTI.The Trust currently has 11 regular members, including president Nritya Gopal Das, treasurer Govind Dev Giri, Vasudevanand Saraswati, Vishwaprasannatirth, Parmanand Giri, Krishna Mohan, Dinendra Das and K Parasaran.With the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, and the recent death of trustee Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, the Trust presently does not have a vice-president to preside over meetings in the president’s absence.Its ex-officio members include Union government secretary Prashant Lekhande, Uttar Pradesh government secretary Sanjay Prasad, Ayodhya District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi and former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Nripendra Mishra.The meeting comes against the backdrop of two parallel investigations into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations.While an SIT is conducting an administrative inquiry and its tenure has been extended till the end of July, police are carrying out a criminal investigation following an FIR registered on the Trust’s complaint.According to sources, statements of Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and special invitee Gopal Rao have been recorded by both the SIT and the police, though no FIR has so far been registered against any of the three Trust functionaries.(With PTI inputs)
