New Delhi: In a statement issued from a jail in Ayodhya, former counting in-charge of the Ram Mandir Trust, Subhash Srivastava, has named 14 employees of the trust along with the trust’s banker, government-owned State Bank of India (SBI), claiming his role was only that of the counting room’s caretaker.A retired bank employee, Subhash Srivastava is one of the eight persons arrested during the ongoing scandal around the embezzlement of funds and offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Srivastava was engaged to supervise the counting of donations to the temple. It took considerable noise, outrage and court directions before two Special Investigation Teams (SITs) were eventually formed in this matter.In his statement, as told to the defence lawyer, accused Subhash Srivastava has spoken about the alleged breach in security protocols with respect to those deployed at the counting room. Apart from naming certain employees representing the trust and the bank, Srivastava’s statement reveals that some security guards from SIS Limited also turned a blind eye to security checks at the entry and exit points of the counting room.Srivastava claimed that the daily duty roster on the sorting table comprised representatives of both the trust and bank – but that he was never on duty sorting the cash.The latest statement, which strikes a note of rebellion, is from someone who has been an active and trusted Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) member and, during our field reporting, The Wire found that Subhash Srivastava was an enthusiastic organiser of shakhas (gatherings of RSS volunteers or swayamsewaks) and that some local BJP leaders being regular fixtures at his residence.The statement, a copy of which has been seen by The Wire, comes even as legal proceedings related to the seizure of Srivastava’s pension account continue at the Anti-Corruption Court in Ayodhya with several transactions from his Canara Bank account currently facing scrutiny.This comes days after a nine-page letter written by the Ram Mandir Trust’s former general secretary, Champat Rai, surfaced in the media in which allegations were levelled against Nripendra Misra, trustee and former adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reportedly played a key role in bringing certain companies on board for the construction of the temple.Srivastava’s statement also casts doubt on the ongoing probe in this case by the Uttar Pradesh Police for the last three months since none of the 14 names appear in the only FIR filed so far.An RSS shakha organised by Subhash Srivastava, arrested in the Ram temple donation theft case and sent to prison as an accused. Photo by arrangement.We have reached out to by email to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust as well via contact numbers on the official website but there has been no response so far. This story will be updated when the trust responds.The Wire also reached out to former trustee and RSS member, Anil Mishra, who had played a crucial role in Subhash Srivastava’s induction into the trust as counting in-charge since January 2022 but he disconnected our call soon after saying: “I can’t say anything since I know nothing about it.”Calls made to former general secretary of the trust, Champat Rai, were forwarded to a voicemail where this reporter has dropped a message seeking a response. We haven’t heard back from Rai at the time of writing this story.§Everybody in Subhash Srivastava’s neighbourhood, Ayodhya’s Anjanipuram, knows he is among the Ram Mandir chanda-chori accused. Even though the police did not arrest Srivastava from his home on June 29, word of his involvement spread fast through the lanes of this mostly middle- to lower-middle-class colony, settled almost 30 years ago.Seventy-year-old Srivastava was arrested from the temple premises itself and is currently in judicial custody.“There is a mandir (temple) in his house as well,” said a woman who lives close by, who could identify where his house was based on a local landmark.In his statement from jail, as told to his lawyer Kulshekhar Singh between July 2-3, Srivastava makes direct statements about who hired him and the terms and conditions of his role at the trust.“It was upon the request of Anil Mishra that I had been providing services to the temple trust on an honorary basis,” says his statement.The most significant detail here is that Srivastava names a former Ram Mandir trustee, Anil Mishra, who is an RSS member.Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the Nagpur-based RSS, now just past its centenary year, as the “biggest NGO [Non-Governmental Organization] in the world.” RSS is the parent body and ideological fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Its ‘NGO’ status has been questioned repeatedly, and doubts have been cast about its finances. A recent investigation by the News Minute reveals that state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has donated Rs 668.01 crore, almost 15% of its mandated corporate social responsibility funds to twenty RSS-linked organisations since 2013.In a two-part series reported from Ayodhya, which included extensive interviews with the kar sevaks who blew the whistle in the Ram Mandir funds theft case, The Wire has reported how the trust, since inception in February 2020, turned into a VHP-RSS led cartel, gradually stoking factionalism among the seers in Ayodhya and sidelining foot soldiers of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.Once the police began arresting people in the case, RSS member Anil Mishra and the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai resigned on June 27, 2026.In the second part of our special series, The Wire spoke with civil society in Ayodhya including Communist Party of India’s (CPI) district secretary Surya Kant Pandey, who had written a letter to President Droupadi Murmu. In it, he wrote, “When those from the RSS who were members of the trust earlier could not save it from the loot, then I find the immediate re-induction of members from the Sangh objectionable. My request to you is that the inclusion of people belonging to a particular ideology in the Trust would be fatal.”It is ironic that Srivastava, a Nagar Karyvah (city in-charge), who held a regular RSS shakha, would put the Ram Mandir trust in the dock through his statements from jail.The Wire has stitched together the arc of Srivastava’s life based on what it could learn from his neighbours in Anjanipuram, including those who attended his shakha, as well as from conversations and interviews with his advocate. We also examined documents submitted before the anti-corruption court in Ayodhya where proceedings related to the freezing of Srivastava’s bank accounts are ongoing.Trust’s counting in-charge with ties to RSS and BJPIn July 2026, when this reporter visited Srivastava’s Anjanipuram residence, which was locked, his neighbours disclosed his Sangh Parivar affiliation, although his tenants didn’t respond despite many attempts.One of them was Sanjay Pandey, who said he was a regular visitor to Srivastava’s house for the shakhas held there. “Earlier, he organised a regular shakha at the Ram Lila maidan nearby, and then at his house. As participants, we would be given tasks such as distributing akshat [a ritual mix of rice and turmeric] to households before the prime minister’s visit to the temple.”Sanjay Pandey, a neighbour of Subhash Srivastava in Ayodhya’s Anjanipuram locality. Photo: Akanksha KumarPandey claimed that Subhash worked with Syndicate Bank but was suspended for a few years and reinstated around 2010 or 2012. Her retired in 2016, and after the Supreme Court judgement in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case in 2019, he became a full-time trust worker.Another neighbour said that nationalism was a regular topic at Srivastava’s shakhas. “Once he became too involved with the temple, the shakhas stopped. Around 10-15 persons, including local municipal councillor from Kabir Nagar, Chandan Singh, used to attend these shakhas,” said the second neighbour, speaking anonymously. He also said that the BJP’s Ayodhya district president was a regular visitor during morning baithaks, another format in which the RSS spreads its ideas, seemingly informally.This reporter reached out to Chandan Singh and Kamlesh Srivastava for a response regarding their proximity to the accused Subhash Srivastava but our calls were not answered.“I don’t think bigger fish have been caught even though they might have felt trapped for a while,” said this neighbour.Statement of the accused from jailSubhash Srivastava’s one-page statement explains his role was overseeing cash transfers from daan-patra (donation boxes) to another sealed box whose locks were held by the trust as well as the SBI representatives.A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the trust and SBI in February 2024 to better manage cash donations, offerings, cheques and drafts. The paper instruments would be deposited at the SBI’s Naya Ghat branch.Srivastava’s statement names five trust employees who he says were involved in “sorting of cash from time to time during the counting process”.He also names nine other bank employees “who were also present at the time of sorting of cash bundles”.“The counting room has 6 cameras installed inside which are monitored through a server room on the opposite side. For this [monitoring of CCTV cameras], the trust has appointed an employee from their side,” write Srivastava. He says he could not recall the name of one other person whose job was to keep an eye on cameras.“The server room was a gopniya kaksh [restricted-access room] whose in-charge was also an employee of the trust,” he further adds in his statement and names a Trust staffer who used to manage the server room.None of the 14 he names, whether from the trust or SBI, are mentioned in the sole FIR registered in this case so far.Kulshekhar Singh says he hasn’t received any document related to the case – not the police case diary, or even the recovery memo. Subhash Srivastava’s statement is yet to be submitted before the court.Going by Srivastava’s version, specific lapses in the counting and sorting processes included:Security protocol not followed outside counting room: “While a security guard on behalf of SIS used to sit outside the counting room with a register and pen and would note names of those entering inside along with their signatures. No such checking was done when a person exited from there [the counting room]. This entire responsibility rested with the security officer representing the Trust [mentions name] along with the head of SIS [mentions another name],” says Srivastava in his statement.In 2024, around the time when the pran pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of the Ram Mandir took place, SIS Limited had been entrusted with providing security guards within the temple premises. As per a recent YouTube video posted on the official channel of the company around 300 personnel were deployed at the temple for the purpose of security as well as crowd control.SoP regarding keys of the sealed box: While referring to the sorting process, Srivastava has been quoted as saying in his statement, “I did not have any role in the sorting process. I would sign on the docket related to cash bundles sorted in sets of 10 after physical verification in the cash counting hall.”“Before the sorting process, the key [of the box in which cash donations were kept] I had used to be kept in a drawer for storing keys. A person who was in-charge on behalf of the trust, entrusted with inspecting the sorting process, used to check that it [the cash box] is sealed. A similar procedure was followed by the bank employee as well. I did not have any role even in sorting,” says Srivastava in his statement.Lawyer Kulshekhar Singh told The Wire, “He [Subhash Srivastava] was never put on duty on the sorting table. With respect to counting, his responsibility was making sure the money collected is deposited with the bank.”“Bank employees would be present along with Subhash for counting duty. And with respect to sorting also, a staff member on behalf of the trust would be there along with a bank employee. So, he [Subhash Srivastava] has revealed all those names now,” Kulshekhar Singh said.Allegations against SrivastavaContrary to his own claims, in a bid to now distance from the Ram Mandir chanda chori scandal, an issue which was raised vehemently by the Opposition throughout the monsoon session of parliament, Subhash Srivastava does come across as a partner in crime, if not the real culprit.Srivastava’s complicity was highlighted by a BBC investigation that revealed that a counting room staffer had alerted him before the current theft allegations came to light. In a reported near-admission, Srivastava told the staffer, “This money belongs to God and he is overseeing it. Now what is it that you and I can do in such a situation? It’s not like that money is being taken away from your house or mine.”The preliminary report by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), with the state government and the trust since June 23, 2026 says, “The in-charge of the counting room, Mr Subhash Srivastava, along with other supervisory personnel, failed to ensure compliance with mandatory security measures such as thorough frisking, controlled dress code and effective supervision, which allowed thefts to occur unabated and created conducive environment for criminal activities.”Subhash Srivastava’s house in Anjanipuram, Ayodhya, with a temple on the premises, where neighbours said a RSS shakha was organised. Photo: Akanksha KumarThe SIT’s preliminary report blamed Subhash Srivastava for mismanaging the keys, noting, “Serious concerns also arise from the role of individuals who were controlling the keys or access arrangements to the hundis (donation boxes) without explicit written orders, such as Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu. Custody of the keys to the donation boxes without formal authorisation creates the risk of unauthorised access. As the counting in-charge and the official overseeing the opening of the hundis, Mr Subhash Srivastava is responsible for allowing this informal arrangement to continue.”Tinnu Yadav is the former driver of Champat Rai, who was elevated to a counting staff member and is among the eight accused in jail.Speaking to The Wire on phone from Lucknow, former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, founder of political party Azad Adhikar Sena, said, “The only significance of such a statement is that the concerned person is giving certain leads. Whether these leads are correct or not is the duty of the Investigating Officer to figure out.”Thakur had applied for the position of first full-time Chief Executive Officer of the temple trust, and has been vocal about the need for transparency in the ongoing selection process for this role.“What he [Subhash Srivastava] wants to say may be 100 per cent relevant. At the same time, it may have zero relevance. Definitely, he cannot be ignored since a lead has been given. However, the statement has no legal sanctity unless it is officially communicated [to the court],” Thakur said.Financial transactions under the scannerA monetary transaction of over Rs 9 lakh in the Canara Bank account of Subhash Srivastava has been under the scanner of Uttar Pradesh Police though his lawyer maintains the amount was a compensation he received after winning a case against bank where he earlier worked.The Anti-Corruption Court in Ayodhya, where hearings related to the seizure of Srivastava’s pension account are ongoing, has asked UP Police to verify these claims.According to Kulshekhar Singh, “Subhash Srivastava had been fighting a case against the Syndicate Bank and received over Rs 9 lakh as compensation on December 18, 2025, of which he transferred Rs 5 lakh to his Bank of Baroda account through an online transaction. When all transactions are taking place through an online route and there’s no third person involved, how can someone be deemed as accused?”Meanwhile the state police told the court that they are probing another transaction – allegedly of Rs 30,000 – even as Srivastava’s lawyer objected to this in court on July 30, saying, “The Investigation Officer has not specified which transaction in the pension account is linked to the funds of Ram Mandir chanda chori.”All of Srivastava’s three bank accounts – two with the Canara Bank and another with the Bank of Baroda are being investigated.On August 18, in a response submitted before the bench of the Special Judge of the Anti-Corruption Court, Rajat Verma, the investigation officer Ashutosh Tiwari said that “with respect to accused Subhash Srivastava, a cash deposit of Rs 30,000 done on October 16, 2025 into his Canara Bank account no [redacted] has been found to be of suspicious nature.”“Multiple transactions have taken place from the said account into another Canara Bank account [number redacted] of the accused. Large amounts of money have also been credited earlier into this account. Investigation is ongoing with respect to amounts credited into other bank accounts of the accused,” the response by Tiwari, a copy of which has been seen by The Wire, further added.“The said amount of Rs 30,000 was a cash withdrawal from an OD (overdraft) account at Canara Bank for paying fee to a lawyer. Due to some delay in the hearing date, the said amount was deposited back again in cash in the same account,” defence lawyer Singh told The Wire.An overdraft account allows bank account holders to withdraw a certain amount beyond the bank balance and can be repaid with interest.In his response filed before the special court on behalf of Srivastava, Kulshekhar Singh has shared details of the 45 transactions from his pension account with Canara Bank between January 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026.Transactions over Rs 1 lakh from pension accountMay 7, 2025: Rs 1,40,000Transferred from overdraft account into pension accountDecember 18, 2025: Rs 9,82,091Amount credited into pension account from Employee Pension Fund after winning a case at the Allahabad High CourtDecember 22, 2025: Rs 1,17,278.92Earned leave encashmentFebruary 2, 2026: Rs 5,00,000Credited from Bank of Baroda accountMarch 8, 2026: Rs 1,00,000Received from Kshitij Srivastava via net bankingMarch 24, 2026: Rs 1,53,000Agricultural loan amount creditedMay 26, 2026: Rs 1,54,000Agricultural loan amount creditedSource: Response by the defence lawyer submitted before the Anti-Corruption CourtKshitij is Subhash Srivastava’s son and he had returned Rs 1 lakh after a game of cricket in which he wanted to participate was postponed.The Wire reached out to Tiwari, the Investigating Officer as well as Ayodhya Police’s Circle Officer, who refused comment on the matter. A questionnaire has been sent to his official email ID. This story will be updated if he replies.Calls made to the corporate office of SIS Limited in Delhi went unanswered. The Wire has sent a questionnaire at the email ID related to media relations given on the company’s website.This reporter also tried calling on the three landline numbers of State Bank of India’s Naya Ghat branch in Ayodhya but the calls didn’t go through.Attempts were made to reach out to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust as well via contact numbers provided on its official website but there was no response. A questionnaire has been sent on the email ID of the trust seeking responses to the latest claims in Subhash Srivastava’s statement.