The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has accepted the moral resignations of General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra amid an ongoing donation theft investigation. Retired IFS officer Krishna Mohan has been appointed interim general secretary to reform administrative workflows and oversee the transition to a professional CEO model.
AYODHYA, India — The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust announced a major organizational restructuring during a pivotal three-hour meeting at its complex on Monday, July 6, 2026. The Trust formally accepted the resignations of its long-standing General Secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra, who stepped down on moral grounds. To stabilize its executive leadership, the board appointed permanent trustee and retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Krishna Mohan as the interim general secretary.
The dramatic administrative pivot follows growing public scrutiny and an ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe initiated by the Uttar Pradesh government into the alleged siphoning of cash from temple donation boxes. Alongside this leadership change, the apex temple body announced it will appoint its first-ever professional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to completely modernize its administrative operations.
Who Is Krishna Mohan? Executive Profile and Background
The newly appointed interim chief, Krishna Mohan (73), brings decades of civil service and administrative experience to the apex temple body. A native of Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh, Mohan is a graduate of Lucknow University. Before joining the civil services, he served within the central Government’s Atomic Energy Department.
He later transitioned into the Indian Forest Service (IFS), serving in senior administrative positions under the Maharashtra state cadre until his retirement.
Mohan was originally inducted into the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust as a permanent member in September 2025 to fill the vacancy left by the late Kameshwar Chaupal. Known for his low-profile philanthropy and community service in central Uttar Pradesh, Mohan’s selection reflects a deliberate effort by the Trust's leadership to install a seasoned bureaucrat capable of implementing strict accounting controls and institutional corporate governance.
Mandating the First-Ever CEO Position and Structural Reforms
To transition from a traditional layout to a professional management structure, the Trust has formed an independent three-member search committee to identify candidates for the newly created Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position. This panel will be chaired by retired High Court Justice Pramod Kohli, alongside retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and trustee Suresh Havde.
The introduction of a professional CEO marks a permanent operational shift for the multi-billion rupee pilgrimage infrastructure. The incoming executive will assume direct responsibility for standardizing financial accounting systems, handling digital donations, managing large-scale facility logistics, and implementing independent third-party audit cycles. Additionally, as part of the initial wave of governance reforms, the board decided to formally remove Gopal Nagarkote from its list of special invitee members.
Context Behind Champat Rai's Resignation and the SIT Probe
The leadership transition directly stems from an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities inside the temple’s treasury counting rooms. Following initial reports of cash leakage, a high-level SIT was formed on June 13. Its preliminary findings led the police to register an FIR and subsequently arrest eight individuals.
According to investigators, the suspects were contract employees of a private security firm hired by the State Bank of India (SBI) to assist with the cash-counting process. Investigators reportedly recovered deleted CCTV footage showing the accused individuals concealing currency notes while clearing the primary donation vaults.
Trust Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj strongly defended Champat Rai's personal integrity, clarifying that his decision to step down was an act of moral accountability. Giri highlighted that under the statutory framework of the Trust's constitution verified by senior legal adviser K Parasaran a trustee's resignation takes effect automatically upon formal submission.
Full Financial Transparency Disclosures
In an effort to reassure devotees globally and counter political criticism, the Trust opened its books and released comprehensive financial data compiled up to March 31, 2026.
The audited numbers reveal that the Trust has received a cumulative total of ₹32.64 billion through its Nidhi Samarpan campaign and structural corpus donations since its inception in 2020. Out of this capital pool, ₹23.70 billion has been directly utilized for temple construction and core capital expenditure. Additionally, the platform has registered ₹5.82 billion in daily offerings from devotees, with ₹3.91 billion designated for localized operational costs and social programs. The remaining residual funds are securely parked across nationalized bank fixed deposits.
Furthermore, the Trust strongly refuted rumors regarding the misappropriation of physical jewelry or non-cash offerings. Officials clarified that 2,126 unique non-cash offerings from devotees have been logged with date-wise entries and undergo annual physical audits by an independent chartered accountant firm. Additionally, all silver offerings have been securely melted into uniform bricks at the India Government Mint, with proper documentation and purity certificates preserved in the central registry.
Official Sources Section
The executive appointments, resignation acceptances, financial statements, and administrative committees cited in this report correspond directly to the formal press releases and resolution logs issued by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra following Monday's high-level meeting in Ayodhya.
Quote Section
"We are all deeply pained by the events that have transpired; everyone has suffered, including the devotees of Ram," stated Interim General Secretary Krishna Mohan following his appointment. "There were certain shortcomings in management and operations that were exploited by others. Therefore, my primary endeavour will be to plug these loopholes and rectify errors. I will make every effort to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future."
Why It Matters
For millions of devotees, retail donors, and institutional stakeholders worldwide, the prompt leadership transition ensures that the management of India’s most prominent spiritual site shifts toward an institutional, data-verified model. Bringing in a retired civil servant to oversee operations and forming a committee to hire a professional CEO will help shield the temple's administration from external controversies. This structured approach helps restore public confidence, protects future capital contributions, and ensures transparency across multi-billion rupee infrastructure budgets.
Key Facts at a Glance
Leadership Change: Ex-IFS officer Krishna Mohan takes over as interim general secretary.
Moral Resignations: Champat Rai and Dr. Anil Mishra stepped down amid the donation handling controversy.
Professional CEO Search: A three-member panel led by a retired judge and a retired military general has been formed to select a professional CEO.
Asset Accountability: The Trust confirmed that all 2,126 physical offerings are safely inventoried, with silver offerings officially melted and certified at the India Government Mint.
Financial Scope: The Trust confirmed it has spent ₹23.70 billion on construction out of ₹32.64 billion collected in total donations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Champat Rai resign if he wasn't named in the police FIR?
Champat Rai resigned purely on moral grounds, taking responsibility for oversight lapses that allowed contract cash-counters to exploit loopholes in the temple's donation handling rooms.
What are Krishna Mohan's main priorities as the interim chief?
His immediate focus is to plug operational loopholes, upgrade treasury room security protocols, and restore donor confidence while the SIT completes its final investigation.
How will the new CEO selection process work?
An independent three-member panel comprising a retired judge, a retired military general, and a trustee will vet experienced administrative professionals to find a qualified executive to lead the temple's day-to-day operations.
Source: Official press statements released by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, investigative briefings from the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Investigation Team, and compliance registries at BSE Limited.
