Indian court detains eight in Ram temple graft case, ANI says

They have allegedly embezzled donations and offerings at the temple

Hindu devotees gather near the Lord Ram temple after its inauguration, in Ayodhya, India, Jan 22, 2024. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

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.