SIT audits Rs 124 crore Ram Mandir Trust spending; Pran Pratishtha event in focus

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team has begun examining more than Rs 124 crore spent by the Ram temple trust on major events over the past two years, including the January 2024 pran pratishtha ceremony, the 2025 Mahakumbh arrangements and the November 2025 flag-hoisting ceremony. Investigators are auditing the trust’s financial records, bills, payment vouchers, chartered accountant documents and expenditure statements to check whether the spending followed the trust’s financial procedures and approvals. The largest amount under scrutiny is linked to the January 22, 2024 pran pratishtha ceremony, which was attended by about 8,000 guests and cost around Rs 113 crore. Audit records cited in the report put spending on sheds and tent-city infrastructure at Rs 35.97 crore, the akshat pujan campaign at Rs 30.85 crore, publicity and advertisements at Rs 21.77 crore, decoration and lighting at Rs 14.62 crore, food arrangements at Rs 5.11 crore and rituals at Rs 1.06 crore. The SIT is also examining the November 25, 2025 flag-hoisting ceremony, where expenditure was recorded at Rs 10.12 crore. The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and about 6,000 guests. Investigators are checking whether the average spending of about Rs 16,000 per guest was backed by proper approvals and financial records. The team is physically verifying precious metals and jewellery donated by devotees to Ram Lalla. Trust records show that devotees donated 2.3 kg of gold and 83.3 kg of silver between November 2024 and February 2025. During the Mahakumbh period, another 1.5 kg of gold and 28 kg of silver were received as offerings. Investigators are checking inventory records, storage arrangements and the present status of these donations. They are also examining whether detailed financial statements for the large events were placed before trust meetings. The audit marks a wider financial turn in the Ram temple donation case. The SIT’s immediate task is to match records, approvals, payments and physical assets before deciding whether the spending and donated valuables were handled according to the trust’s internal procedures.