The Ayodhya Police on Sunday completed nearly 30 hours of sustained custodial interrogation of key accused Ram Shankar Yadav alias “Tinnu” and his nephew Manish Yadav in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple.
Event Context
Investigators focused on identifying the alleged mastermind, reconstructing the alleged conspiracy, tracing the money trail and uncovering investments allegedly made using the suspected stolen funds. Two vehicles recovered during the remand period.
Following the expiry of their 39-hour police remand, both accused were sent back to the Faizabad jail in judicial custody on Sunday night.
Team Analysis
Tinnu, considered by investigators to be one of the key accused because of his role in the temple’s donation handling system, was questioned extensively about the alleged planning of the theft, the role of each co-accused and whether any person outside the eight arrested individuals facilitated or benefited from the alleged embezzlement.
Police also questioned him about the frequency of the alleged thefts, the mechanism allegedly adopted to remove cash during counting and whether the operation had been functioning in an organised manner over a prolonged period.
Investigators also questioned Tinnu about the suspected disposal of the money after it was allegedly diverted from devotees’ offerings. He was asked to explain investments allegedly made in property, informal high-interest lending and other financial transactions, besides identifying persons in whose names money or assets may have been parked.
Police are examining whether the alleged proceeds were layered through relatives, associates or multiple bank accounts to conceal their origin.
Manish Yadav, who allegedly participated in counting cash donations, was questioned separately about the quantity of money allegedly siphoned off during different counting sessions, the movement of cash after it was removed from the counting process and the identities of those who allegedly received shares from the suspected proceeds.
Investigators also confronted the two accused with documentary evidence, bank transaction records and statements of the six other arrested accused who had earlier undergone custodial interrogation. The questioning largely focused on reconciling contradictions, identifying the alleged command structure within the group and establishing who exercised operational control over the suspected theft.
The criminal investigation is progressing alongside the Uttar Pradesh government’s high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged procedural lapses and supervisory failures in the handling and counting of temple donations.
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According to people familiar with the investigation, the interrogation aimed at piecing together the entire conspiracy rather than merely recovering the stolen money.
Sources said investigators are preparing a detailed financial profile of each accused by analysing bank accounts, investment records, movable and immovable assets and informal financial dealings. Police are attempting to establish whether assets acquired during the relevant period were disproportionate to the known sources of income of the accused and whether they were financed through money allegedly stolen from temple donations.
The interrogation also explored allegations that part of the suspected proceeds was circulated through informal lending at high interest, while another portion may have been invested in property and other financial instruments. Police are verifying these claims by examining financial documents recovered during searches and information obtained from banks and other agencies.
With the custodial interrogation of Tinnu and Manish now complete, police have finished questioning all eight arrested accused in custody. Investigators will now correlate their statements with forensic evidence, CCTV footage, financial records and documentary material to establish the alleged conspiracy, recover the remaining suspected proceeds and identify any additional beneficiaries.
