AYODHYA, June 30 -- As the probe into the Ram temple donation case gathered pace, the State Bank of India's Naya Ghat branch in Ayodhya became the focal point on Monday. A police team from the Ram Janmabhoomi police station spent about four hours at the branch to collect details of accounts of the Trust and seven of the eight accused arrested in the case. The Trust also has accounts at the Naya Ghat branches of the Bank of Baroda and the Punjab National Bank.

HT visited the SBI branch on Monday, finding it pulsating with the tension and energy of the probe as police officials sought details from chief manager Anoop Tripathi inside his chamber.

During the course of HT's visit, bank sources claimed they were under immense pressure from so...