New Delhi — Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international president Alok Kumar said on Sunday that the row over Ram Mandir donations will no longer be politicised, stating that the organisation openly acknowledged the theft of cash from temple offerings and would ensure full accountability, The Indian Express reported.
Addressing the media on October 4, Kumar emphasised that the organisation had not hidden the issue and assured that responsibility would be fixed through an uncompromised investigation.
SIT expanded
Following suggestions from the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government has expanded the Special Investigation Team probing the matter. The SIT, headed at the level of the Inspector General of Police, will now also include a forensic accounting expert, an auditor, and additional senior police officers, a step aimed at ensuring the probe stands up to scrutiny.
The development marks a significant new turn in the donation controversy that reached the country's highest court earlier in the week, with the Supreme Court set to hear a plea alleging irregularities in Ram temple donations. The expansion of the probe team with financial specialists signals that the investigation will examine the money trail in detail.
Kumar's public acknowledgment of the cash theft is notable because it comes directly from the top leadership of the organisation at the centre of the controversy, and his assurance of full accountability sets the tone for how the VHP intends to handle the fallout. By declaring that the matter will no longer be politicised, the VHP chief also sought to draw a line under the political sparring around the temple's finances, placing the emphasis instead on the expanded investigation and the promise of accountability to devotees.
Sources: The Indian Express — India News Live Updates, October 4, 2026
Addressing the media on October 4, Kumar emphasised that the organisation had not hidden the issue and assured that responsibility would be fixed through an uncompromised investigation.
SIT expanded
Following suggestions from the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government has expanded the Special Investigation Team probing the matter. The SIT, headed at the level of the Inspector General of Police, will now also include a forensic accounting expert, an auditor, and additional senior police officers, a step aimed at ensuring the probe stands up to scrutiny.
The development marks a significant new turn in the donation controversy that reached the country's highest court earlier in the week, with the Supreme Court set to hear a plea alleging irregularities in Ram temple donations. The expansion of the probe team with financial specialists signals that the investigation will examine the money trail in detail.
Kumar's public acknowledgment of the cash theft is notable because it comes directly from the top leadership of the organisation at the centre of the controversy, and his assurance of full accountability sets the tone for how the VHP intends to handle the fallout. By declaring that the matter will no longer be politicised, the VHP chief also sought to draw a line under the political sparring around the temple's finances, placing the emphasis instead on the expanded investigation and the promise of accountability to devotees.
Sources: The Indian Express — India News Live Updates, October 4, 2026
