Ram Temple Trust Appoints First CEO and Restructures Amid Donation Controversy
2 sources · India
Who reported this
- The Indian Express
- Hindustan Times
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- Centre-right
- Right
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The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has appointed Air Marshal (retired) Jeetendra Mishra as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and inducted three new members as part of a broader restructuring. The trust will consider amendments to its deed on December 2, marking the first such changes since its formation in February 2020. These amendments are expected to define the powers and responsibilities of the CEO and strengthen transparency in accounting and administration as the trust transitions from construction to operational management.
In addition to the CEO appointment, the trust named Govind Dev Giri as general secretary and businessman Mahesh Bhagchandka as the new treasurer. Bhagchandka, who runs the Ashok Singhal Foundation, replaces Giri in the treasurer role. These changes follow the July resignations of former trust members Champat Rai and Anil Mishra.
The restructuring comes after allegations of donation irregularities. On June 7, Samajwadi Party leader Tej Narayan Pandey alleged that between 5 crore and 7.5 crore rupees in donations were siphoned off. This led to the formation of two Special Investigation Teams (SIT). While the first SIT arrested eight individuals and recovered nearly 80 lakh rupees, its final report on August 17 found no evidence of financial impropriety at the leadership level, although it did flag gross lapses in functioning and a lack of professional financial management.
How each side framed it
- Centre-right
- The reporting frames the restructuring as a professional transition toward corporate oversight and institutional framework following a specific criminal investigation into donation theft.
Sources
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