Share Post
An Indian court detained eight men on Monday in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations and offerings at a new temple dedicated to Hindu god Lord Ram, news agency ANI said, an incident that has come as an embarrassment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party that rose to prominence over its construction.
- The grand temple, consecrated by Modi in the northern city of Ayodhya in 2024, is funded primarily by donations.
- The men, some of whom worked at the temple, are accused of embezzlement, and police recovered about 7.98 million rupees ($85,000) from them after they were arrested last week, ANI said.
- They have been detained in jail for 14 days, it said.
- None of the accused could be reached for comment since they are in custody.
- Yogi Adityanath, who belongs to Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party and is chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, where Ayodhya is located, has said those involved will have to "face the consequences".
- The Ram temple stands on a site that was bitterly contested for decades, with Hindus saying it is the birthplace of Lord Ram, and Muslim Mughals razed a temple at the spot to build the Babri Masjid, or mosque, in 1528.
- A Hindu mob destroyed the mosque in 1992, triggering nationwide riots that killed 2,000 people, mainly Muslims.
- After decades of legal contests, the Supreme Court awarded the location to Hindu groups in 2019 for temple construction.
($1 = 94.5400 Indian rupees)
-Reuters
-Reuters
Latest News
DR Congo bans mass gatherings in the capital to prevent spread of Ebola
Local
29 June 2026
Fitness brand founder and Olympian Les Mills dies aged 91
Local
29 June 2026
Biden blasts Trump 'vanity projects', calling him a 'loser' at fundraising event
Local
29 June 2026
Ford rehires human engineers after AI fails to match quality checks
Local
29 June 2026
Man City turn to Maresca for new era
Local
29 June 2026
The Good Life actress Dame Penelope Keith dies aged 86
Local
29 June 2026
EU warns Netherlands over rail rules, flags competition concerns
Local
29 June 2026
Trump envoys Kushner, Witkoff head to Doha for Iran Talks
Local
29 June 2026
Serbia's Vucic eyes new political chapter as he steps down from presidency
Local
29 June 2026
Fuel shortages spread to more parts of Russia as Ukrainian attacks bite
Local
29 June 2026
