UP CM Adityanath to visit Ayodhya on Friday amid Ram Temple fund misuse allegations

Lucknow (Raghwendra Pratap Singh) : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is set to visit Ayodhya on Friday amid an ongoing probe by a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) into allegations of fund misappropriation linked to the Ram temple.

According to highly placed sources, the chief minister, after offering prayers at the Ram Mandir, will hold a closed-door meeting with office-bearers of the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Sources claimed that Ram Mandir Trust general secretary Champat Rai had been asked to stay away from the meeting as he falls within the ambit of the SIT inquiry.

Sources said the administrative protocol issued for the chief minister's visit contained a specific reference to Champat Rai. According to Point No. 29 of the protocol letter, Rai has been asked to nominate another person to represent him during Adityanath's visit to the Ram Mandir. The nominated representative's details are to be provided to the duty magistrate.

Notably, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted the three-member SIT on June 13 at the request of the temple trust to investigate allegations of fund misappropriation linked to temple donations. The SIT reached the Ram Mandir premises on Thursday as part of its ongoing probe.