The Special Investigation Team is probing alleged cash theft at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, with scrutiny falling on local State Bank of India branch staff. Investigators are examining lapses in cash handling procedures following the involvement of a third-party security agency.
The investigation into the alleged theft of donation money at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has widened to include the role of the local State Bank of India (SBI) branch. Authorities are currently looking into whether bank staff followed established protocols while managing the massive volume of cash donations collected from temple offering boxes, commonly known as Hundis.
Scrutiny on Cash Handling Protocols
The Special Investigation Team is examining potential failures in the standard operating procedures (SOPs) agreed upon between the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and SBI. Typically, high-traffic donation centers require strict oversight, where cash is counted in a secure environment by both bank and temple representatives. Every stage of this process—from collection and counting to final deposit—usually requires documentation and dual verification to prevent discrepancies. The current probe aims to determine if these control measures were bypassed.
Involvement of Third-Party Personnel
Financial records indicate that while SBI was the primary institution managing these deposits, the operational handling of cash was partially outsourced. The bank had engaged 22 personnel through Sainik Security Services, a Varanasi-based agency, for housekeeping and cash-counting support. Investigators are now focused on how this outsourcing arrangement was structured and whether adequate supervision was maintained over these external staff members. Reports have identified that some of the individuals implicated in the theft were employees provided by this external agency.
Potential Impact and Next Steps
Beyond the individuals arrested, the investigation has extended to two SBI staff members who are being questioned regarding their potential failure to report the embezzlement. For investors and bank stakeholders, the focus remains on the bank’s internal control systems and governance. While the current impact is localized to a specific branch, the ability of a major public sector bank to manage such high-profile, high-volume cash accounts is a key operational metric. The next steps in this investigation will likely involve further scrutiny by the Special Investigation Team into the bank's internal hiring and audit practices related to third-party contractors. The market will continue to monitor any further regulatory updates or official statements from SBI regarding its risk management and outsourcing policies in light of this incident.