LUCKNOW/AYODHYA, July 4 -- In the second phase of its probe into the alleged misappropriation of Ram temple donations, the Uttar Pradesh government's three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) expanded the scope of the inquiry to cover the entire financial ecosystem of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust since its formation on February 5, 2020. Senior state government officials told HT the expanded mandate effectively brings under scrutiny the complete trail of donations received by the Trust from within India and abroad during the four-year construction phase of the Ram temple and the period thereafter, along with the utilisation of those funds. In the initial phase, the investigation focused primarily on the alleged embezzlement by eight accused, including six outsourced personnel engaged in counting devotees' offerings. Investigators are now examining whether the alleged theft exposed wider institutional deficiencies in financial governance, administrative oversight and internal control mechanisms. "The investigation has entered its second leg. The focus is no longer confined to the accused employees but has shifted to understanding the entire financial management system that has operated since the Trust came into existence," a senior government official said on condition of anonymity. Highly placed sources said the SIT has sought extensive records from the Trust relating to the receipt of donations, movement and utilisation of funds, construction expenditure, including land purchases, banking transactions, accounting systems, inventory of gold and silver offerings, procurement processes and internal financial controls maintained since 2020. The Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the temple was held on January 22, 2024. The Trust had earlier disclosed at its executive committee meeting on December 13, 2025, that it had received a total of Rs.4,575 crore in donations and other receipts up to November 30, 2025. Investigators have also sought detailed documentation on the entire donation management process, including collection, transportation, counting, recording, storage, reconciliation and deposit of devotees' offerings. The inquiry also covers recruitment criteria, selection procedures, outsourcing arrangements, supervisory responsibilities and compliance with standard operating procedures governing the handling of donations. As the investigation entered the second day of the second phase on Friday, the SIT continued collecting inputs from the Trust's senior functionaries. Sources said the team again interacted with general secretary Champat Rai, trustee Anil Mishra and administrator Gopal Rao, while also recording the statements of Trust treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri and another Trust member Dinendra Das as part of its effort to piece together the administrative and financial decision-making process. According to officials familiar with the probe, investigators sought clarifications on the Trust's internal financial controls, the chain of command in donation management, allocation of responsibilities among office-bearers and the implementation of safeguards governing cash handling and accounting. The questioning assumes significance as Dinendra Das had, during his interaction with the media on Thursday, reportedly called for a thorough probe into Gopal Rao's role in the donation controversy. Investigators are understood to be comparing the statements of the Trust functionaries to identify inconsistencies, fix administrative accountability and establish whether any supervisory lapses contributed to the alleged embezzlement. According to sources, investigators also examined the memorandum of understanding governing the cash management arrangement with the State Bank of India, the role of the outsourced agency engaged for cash-counting operations and the institutional safeguards put in place to prevent financial irregularities. "The questioning of senior functionaries reflects the expanded scope of the investigation. The objective is to establish not only how the system functioned but also who was responsible for supervising it and whether any institutional failures allowed the alleged misappropriation to continue undetected," a top bureaucratic source said. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra was constituted on February 5, 2020, following the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict in the Ayodhya title dispute. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of the Trust in the Lok Sabha, assigning it the responsibility of constructing and managing the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The Trust comprises 15 trustees. The investigation gathered momentum after eight persons, including six outsourced employees engaged in donation-counting, were arrested on June 26 for allegedly siphoning off devotees' offerings. Searches conducted during the probe led to the recovery of Rs.79.83 lakh in cash, 1,100 US dollars in foreign currency, gold and silver ornaments and other articles allegedly linked to the accused. Senior government sources said the state government has made it clear that no individual found responsible, irrespective of position, will be spared if evidence establishes wrongdoing. According to the sources, once the SIT submits its final report to the Uttar Pradesh government by July 15, the police investigation is likely to widen further based on the panel's findings. The report is expected to identify not only individual culpability but also any systemic deficiencies, administrative lapses or institutional failures that could warrant further criminal investigation or administrative action....