TNI Bureau: The FIR has been registered in the misappropriation of donations received at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, with eight people named as accused and several others booked as unidentified persons.

Those named in the FIR include Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Manish Yadav, Ramashankar Mishra, Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Subhash Chandra and Karunesh Pandey. The identity of the eighth accused is yet to be disclosed.

The case was registered on the recommendation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government following a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The FIR is based on a complaint filed by trust member Krishna Mohan.

During the investigation, officials recovered misappropriated funds from Anukalp Mishra and Lavkush Mishra, both of whom have been arrested. The remaining accused have been taken into custody for questioning.

The SIT has already submitted its preliminary inquiry report to the state government and is expected to file its final report within the next 10 to 15 days.

Meanwhile, VHP International President Alok Kumar has demanded a fast-tracked investigation and trial. Representatives of the Sindhi community have also sought details regarding around 200 kg of silver bricks donated to the temple in 2021, amid the ongoing probe into donation-related irregularities.