‘Ram Mandir Trust Not Answerable To Govt’: MHA’s 2025 Stand In Focus Amid Donation Theft Row
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya, is not answerable to either the Centre or the Uttar Pradesh government and has the authority to take its own decisions, according to submissions made by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) before the Central Information Commission (CIC).
The clarification has gained significance amid the ongoing controversy over alleged donation theft from the Ram Mandir in which some officials of the trust have been arrested while others are being questioned.
What Did The MHA Tell The CIC?
In its submission before the CIC in February last year, the MHA said the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is an independent trust that is neither owned, controlled nor financed by the Central or state governments.
According to the ministry, the trust was constituted only to comply with the Supreme Court’s November 9, 2019, Ayodhya verdict. It noted that the Centre’s role was limited to creating the trust as directed by the apex court. The ministry said neither the Union government nor the Uttar Pradesh government has any financial, administrative or operational control over the trust. They also do not provide any funds to the trust, which has full authority to take independent decisions regarding its functioning and activities.
Why Was The Issue Before The CIC?
The matter reached the Central Information Commission after an RTI applicant sought information related to the trust.
The applicant argued that the trust should be treated as a “public authority” under the Right to Information (RTI) Act because it was constituted by the government of India following the Supreme Court’s directions and a majority of its initial trustees were nominated under the government-approved scheme. Around 70 acres of acquired land were also transferred to the trust.
However, the MHA and the trust argued that these factors do not amount to government ownership or control.
CIC’s Ruling
After examining the submissions, the Central Information Commission held that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust does not qualify as a “public authority” under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.
The commission observed that the trust was created in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions rather than through a law enacted by Parliament or a state legislature. There is no deep or pervasive government control over the trust and neither is it substantially financed by the government.
As a result, the CIC ruled that the trust is not obligated to provide information under the RTI Act.
Why It Matters Now
The clarification comes at a politically sensitive time, with the Ram Temple trust facing allegations over financial irregularities and fund management.
The controversy surfaced after discrepancies were allegedly noticed during the counting of donations received from devotees at the Ram Temple. An FIR was registered, following which the Uttar Pradesh Police launched an investigation into the alleged embezzlement of cash and valuables donated by devotees.
Police arrested eight people in connection with the alleged theft.
Investigators claimed the accused had developed a systematic method to siphon off donation money over several months. According to the probe, the accused allegedly studied CCTV camera locations and identified blind spots. Cash was allegedly hidden inside washrooms within the temple complex before being taken out later. CCTV footage was also routinely overwritten every 45 days, making it difficult to trace thefts that allegedly took place over several months.
Police have since recovered nearly Rs 80 lakh during the investigation, including over Rs 20 lakh in cash and gold chains allegedly linked to one of the accused, Avinash Shukla.
Following the arrests, former trust general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra stepped down, saying they were doing so on moral grounds. The trust maintained that the resignations should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing and promised a fair and transparent investigation into the allegations.
