Congress Raises Concerns Over Delays in Ram Temple Donation Theft Case

Overview of the Allegations

The Indian National Congress has formally questioned the ongoing delays in framing charges against eight individuals accused in an alleged donation theft case related to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. On October 29, 2026, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted that the process of framing charges has been postponed for a third time.

Key Issues Raised

• Status of Legal Proceedings: The Congress party has expressed concern over why charges have not yet been framed despite the existence of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) chargesheet naming eight suspects.
• Role of Trust Officials: Jairam Ramesh questioned why former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust officials, specifically Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, are categorized as witnesses rather than accused individuals in the current investigation.
• Evidence and Transparency: The Congress party has demanded that full CCTV footage and audio recordings regarding the alleged incidents be made public. Reports indicate that CCTV footage purportedly captured 105 instances of donation money being removed.
• Call for Independent Probe: The party is advocating for an impartial investigation supervised by the Supreme Court. They have also requested a transparent public accounting of the total donations received for the temple construction.

Timeline and Context

According to party statements, the concerns stem from audit warnings dating back to 2020, a video regarding the alleged theft that surfaced on June 4, 2026, and a First Information Report (FIR) that was registered on June 25, 2026. The Congress has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, alleging that it is protecting powerful figures and shielding those responsible for the misappropriation of funds.