Ram Temple Donation Theft Accused Planned 2 Crore Land Deal, SUV Purchase

Fresh details have emerged in the Ram Temple donation theft case, with investigators claiming that the main accused, Anukalp Mishra, was planning to invest the allegedly stolen donation money in real estate and luxury vehicles before his arrest.

According to the police investigation, Mishra had finalised a deal worth nearly â‚¹2 crore to purchase around 20 bighas of land near his native village in Milkipur, Ayodhya district. Investigators say the transaction was close to completion when the donation theft case came to light and he was taken into custody.

Police also claim that Mishra was planning to purchase a Mahindra Scorpio SUV and had informed a dealership that he would complete the booking soon. Officials further revealed that he had already purchased a Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire about two months earlier.

The information reportedly surfaced during the questioning of Mishra's father, Ravindra Mishra. Investigators have also identified certain immovable assets linked to the family in Ambedkar Nagar district.

Originally a resident of Basawan village in Milkipur, Mishra had shifted to Kaushalpuri in Ayodhya around one and a half years ago but frequently visited his village. During the construction of the 84-Kosi Parikrama route, he allegedly expressed interest in buying land alongside the highway and contacted several property dealers.

Police said that after organising a religious Bhagwat Katha event in his village in April, several property brokers approached him with land offers. Mishra reportedly insisted on acquiring a single 20-bigha plot located close to the Parikrama route.

Before the land deal could be completed, the alleged donation theft was detected. Following an internal inquiry by the temple trust and a Special Investigation Team probe, an FIR was registered, leading to Mishra's arrest.

Investigators also suspect that other accused in the case similarly used the allegedly stolen donation money to purchase property and vehicles. The investigation is continuing.