Ayodhya, UP: Four arrested for embezzlement from Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Trust

Uttar Pradesh: A case of alleged embezzlement of Rs 6 lakh from Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust came into light on September 9 and four people have been arrested in this connection. Ayodhya Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Deepak Kumar said, "On September 9, a case of embezzlement of Rs 6 lakh from Ram Janmbhoomi Trust was revealed." "The case was registered by the Secretary-General of the Trust. The team led by ASP has arrested four people involved in the case, others will also be arrested, added SSP Kumar.

According to the police, the amount was transferred to the Punjab National Bank in Maharashtra from Ayodhya's State Bank of India using two cloned cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh with the forged signatures of the trustees.

Finally, the scam was busted after a third cloned cheque was intercepted at an SBI clearing house in Lucknow.

The Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was in the dark about the fraudulent withdrawals till a third forged cheque was detected of Rs 9.86 lakh was presented at a Bank of Baroda's Branch and sent to SBI for clearing. When a senior bank official intercepted the cheque and made repeated calls to Trust secretary Champat Rai to verify whether he had signed on the high-value cheque.

The transaction was stopped immediately after Rai confirmed that he did not approve of any withdrawal and the account was seized.

An FIR was lodged at the Ayodhya police station by Champat Rai on 10 September.

Those arrested have been identified as Prashant Mahaval Sheety (40), resident of Bombay, Vimal Lalla (40), Shankar Sitaram Gopale (54) and Sanjay Tejraj (35) all from Thane district of Maharashtra.

However, the mastermind of this scam is still absconding, a resident of Banaras.

The Ayodhya DIG said that the involvement of bank employees in this fraud cannot be ruled out.

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