New Delhi: Terming the alleged embezzlement of funds at the Ram temple in Ayodhya as “monumental betrayal of Hindu faith, religion, and way of life”, Congress Lok Sabha MP and chairman Public Accounts Committee K.C. Venugopal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation in the matter.“I strongly demand your immediate intervention in this matter to order a free and fair investigation by a high-level independent agency under the strict supervision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” said Venugopal on Thursday (July 2) in his letter to Modi.He mentioned that through the letter he is expressing the is deep anguish and outrage of millions of Indians regarding the shocking revelations of massive financial fraud, theft, and embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.“The offerings made by ordinary citizens – who contributed their hard-earned life savings out of profound faith and reverence for Lord Ram – have been shamelessly looted, striking at the very sanctity of a place held sacred by millions,” the senior Congress leader said.“The ongoing preliminary investigations have exposed a highly organised racket operating right under the nose of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The systemic lapses at every level make it clear that this loot was enabled by institutional support,” he added.“The massive financial fraud, theft, and embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya have shaken the nation. The offerings made by ordinary citizens – who contributed their hard-earned life savings out of profound faith and reverence for Lord Ram -have been shamelessly… pic.twitter.com/JAt99Fj7VB— Congress (@INCIndia) July 2, 2026Venugopal said that on one hand, the counting staff bypassed regular surveillance to siphon off bundles of cash and valuable jewellery on a daily basis; on the other, seven to eight months of crucial CCTV footage was deliberately destroyed to cover the tracks of this criminal enterprise.“This clearly indicates that this loot goes beyond the work of a few rogue employees, and is a scam orchestrated with the complicity of the higher-ups instead,” said Venugopal.“Simultaneously, we are learning that complaints of embezzlement and theft were either ignored or actively suppressed. The trust’s former chief accounts officer, who flagged these systemic irregularities as early as 2020-21 and warned that unaccounted gold and silver ornaments were being spirited away, was unceremoniously removed from his duties instead of being heard.”‘So far, only the small fish have been arrested’Venugopal also said in his letter to Modi that just three months ago, the State Bank of India had reportedly flagged irregularities in the counting of donations and recommended the removal of the staff responsible.“Even those warnings were ignored. Taken together, these episodes reveal a pattern of wilful indifference to safeguarding donations collected in the name of Lord Ram. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13, followed by the FIR registered on June 25, appears to be little more than an eyewash,” said Venugopal.Also read: Faizabad Bar Association Files Fourth Complaint Against Ram Temple Funds Theft, Wants FIR Against Champat Rai, Gopal Rao, Anil Mishra“So far, only the “small fish” – drivers, clerks, and outsourced cashiers – have been arrested, while the institutional support and chain of command that enabled the brazen loot remain untouched. A state-appointed SIT is neither equipped nor institutionally independent to investigate individuals wielding immense political and institutional influence,” he added.Venugopal said that there is a growing apprehension that the investigation is being used to erase the remaining evidence while shielding the “big fish” who allegedly “orchestrated this multi-crore embezzlement”.‘Moral responsibility of you to restore faith of Indians in government’s intent’Venugopal said that the matter warrants the highest level of accountability because the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is a public trust constituted by the Government of India in 2020.“A fraud of this magnitude – involving allegations stretching into hundreds of crores – is a monumental betrayal of Hindu faith, religion, and way of life. Lord Ram is revered as the embodiment of justice and righteousness. Allowing allegations of this nature to be buried, rather than impartially investigated, would be a profound injustice to his devotees and to the values he embodies,” said Venugopal.The Ram Temple, in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, pictured on November 25, 2025. Photo: PTI.“It is, therefore, the moral responsibility of the government – and of you, as its head – to restore the faith of over 1.4 billion Indians in the government’s intent and ability to safeguard donations and preserve the sanctity of an institution established in the name of Lord Ram,” he added.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing severe criticism over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.The first information report (FIR) registered by the Uttar Pradesh police on the issue says that in the preliminary investigation by the special investigation team (SIT) that was constituted earlier, it has clearly come to light that some of those involved in counting of the money received as offerings by the temple have engaged in embezzling the funds in a well-planned and criminal manner.CPI Rajya Sabha MP also writes to ModiOn Thursday, Communist Party of India (CPI) Rajya Sabha MP P. Sandosh Kumar has also written to Prime Minister Modi, demanding a thorough investigation into the alleged embezzlement of devotees’ offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust.Kumar underlined that reports of unaccounted cash, gold, silver and other valuables have shaken public trust, especially since the findings of the official inquiry remain undisclosed. “This is not merely an allegation of financial wrongdoing. It is the betrayal of millions of devotees whose offerings were made in faith,” he wrote.Demanding complete transparency and accountability, Kumar has urged the prime minister to order a comprehensive audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of all donations received by the trust since its inception and to place the report in the public domain. He has also sought an independent judicial inquiry into all alleged criminal activities connected with the temple, its construction and the management of devotees’ offerings, irrespective of the position or affiliation of those involved.